A barge en route to Alaska from Washington that broke down this week caused a temporary turkey shortage at the Homer Safeway grocery store on Wednesday and Thursday. A check of the store on Thursday afternoon showed chickens, ribs and hams, but not the main dish for the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

“What the hell? A week before Thanksgiving? Are you insane?” irate customer Allison Schaefer told the Homer News after she tried to get a turkey on Wednesday.

Fear not — the turkeys arrived at Safeway on Friday, Nov. 18.

Sara Osborne, public affairs manager for Safeway, said on Thursday that the turkeys were either at the distribution center in Anchorage or on a truck to Homer. 

In its ad circular this week, Safeway advertised one free turkey per customer for Safeway card holders who bought at least $150 of groceries.

“It sounds like the store will be able to give everybody a rain check, and they’ll start calling everybody when the turkeys are in,” Osborne said.

Schaefer said she tried to do that on Wednesday, but did not get a turkey or a rain check. She wasn’t getting the turkey for herself, but for a needy family she knew.

Osborne said customers who tried to get the free-turkey deal and didn’t get rain checks should bring their receipts and get a rain check or turkey.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.