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Shoppers Flock to SoHo for Warm Winter Gear with Snowstorm Bearing Down

By Andrea Swalec | February 8, 2013 12:26pm

SOHO — Video editor Andre Hutchins headed to SoHo Friday morning because he had cold feet — literally.

The Los Angeles transplant, who moved to Westchester last month, shopped at the 530 Broadway location of Eastern Mountain Sports Friday for a cold-weather substitute for his thin canvas Vans shoes.

"These are just not going to work," he said about his rain-soaked shoes.

As weather forecasters predicted up to a foot of snow in New York this weekend, shoppers hit retail-heavy SoHo for warm boots and other storm supplies.

Visiting British advertising executive Robin Shenfield, 56, also hunted through the sporting goods store for boots more sturdy than the leather pair he brought from London.

He said he wasn't accustomed to snow.

"The whole of the U.K. grinds to a halt when there's more than an inch," Shenfield said.

At the 556 Broadway location of shoe store David Z, boots by Sorel, Uggs and Timberland were top sellers Friday, according to manager Rudy Ramphal.

"Even when it's 30 below, you don't get cold in these," he said about the Sorel models, which were all selling for 40 percent off.

Shoppers at the massive clothing shop Uniqlo, at 546 Broadway, were shopping for the brand's Heattech line of long-johns and leggings, manager Amelie Sherry said.

"Since it's gotten cold, those are one of our most popular sellers right now," she said.

At the 560 Broadway location of Dean & DeLuca, personal chef Raimund Serba was shopping for another kind of storm provisions — ingredients for a black truffle quiche he'll make Saturday for the family for whom he cooks.

As Serba picked up gruyere and heavy cream, he said he didn't think the storm would be crippling.

"I'm from Chicago and we used to walk to school in 2 feet of snow," he said. "It was no big deal."