EVERETT — Shopping carts were full and faces sentimental at the Hostess outlet store in south Everett Friday.
Early that morning Irving, Texas-based Hostess Brands Inc. announced it was going out of business due to an ongoing strike by its bakers’ union. The store along E. Casino Road is expected to close.
By noon, customers had lined up more than 10 deep for a last chance to buy Twinkies, cupcakes, Donettes and other favorite snack cakes.
Laura Ochoa, 33, and her son, Bobby, 4, drove up from Kirkland to stock up as soon as he got out of preschool, she said.
“Today’s a special day, a heartbreaking day,” she said.
Bobby smiled and hid behind his mother, but whispered to her that the Donettes were his favorite.
Trent Barbee, 35, used to visit the store weekly when he lived closer, he said. He loves chocolate-covered Twinkies, but the store already was out.
“They don’t have them anymore,” he said. “It kind of hurt that they don’t.”
Barbee planned to share his bounty with his son and co-workers. He thought his son would like the treats in his lunch box.
Candi Everett, 33, of Everett, had orders from her mother to get some Twinkies, she said.
Her son, Cooper, 4, added a bag of popcorn to the pile of items in her arms.
“It’s kind of sad,” she said.
Miles Graydon, 29, of Marysville heard the news on the radio and rushed to a gas station mini-market. The gas station already was out, but someone told him to try the outlet store.
He planned to put the goods for sale on the Internet to make some extra money for Christmas, he said.
He looked at his stack of boxes.
“You’ve now become too valuable to eat,” he told them.
On the box, Twinkie The Kid kept on smiling.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com
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