Shoppers are starting to prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Leslie this weekend, which is expected to turn into a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100mph.Stores are already bringing out their storm inventory, with customers stocking up early on emergency supplies.According to the US National Hurricane Center, Leslie currently has top winds of 60 miles per hour and is moving north-northwest at 3mph. As of yesterday, the storm’s centre was about 585 miles south of Bermuda.Bermuda Waterworks has “absolutely” seen more customers coming in for water and the company expects sales to pick up as the week goes on.A similar trend has been seen at hardware and multi-line retailers.“We’ve most definitely seen more shoppers today coming in for tarp, flashlights, batteries and the usual storm gear,” said Mark Stearns, store manager of Masters. “People are also inquiring about generators.He said the store has a full stock of hurricane supplies, adding that locals are savvy storm shoppers.“Over the years people have had a lot of experience with hurricanes and still remember Hurricane Fabian,” he said.People have also been heading to the Phoenix Centre on Reid Street and the company’s associated pharmacies.“For sure we’ve seen more people today and we’ve been putting out our hurricane supplies,” said George Grundmuller, the CEO of Phoenix stores. “It’s the first hurricane of the season so people are stocking up.”He added they’ve also seen an uptick in water sales. The store carries batteries, lanterns, first aid kits and hand crank radios, including one that can charge cell phones and iPads.“People are also filling up their prescriptions and while it usually gets busier as we get closer to the storm, we’ve noticed that people are coming out earlier in all of our stores.”He also said that the Phoenix has everything in stock and is quickly moving the supplies to the sales floor.Both stores will open as normal this week and will stay open on Saturday as long as it’s safe for their staff.Leslie is the 12th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 and has its statistical peak on September 10.