Across the fenced-off parking lot, the supermarket chain's president and employees were preparing to lead media on a preview of the refurbished store Thursday, a day ahead of its reopening to the public.
Her 97-year-old father, a World War II veteran, lives close enough to the market to shop there on his own. The produce at Tops is fresher than the foods available at smaller convenience stores and bodegas in the neighborhood, she said. She gets it. Tops is the social hub of its neighborhood. That's why frequent shoppers, the store’s managers and employees, community leaders and those who lost loved ones in the hail of bullets two months ago tell The Associated Press simply: it’s complicated.
Ultimately, the management team felt confident that store associates and most area residents needed and wanted the store to reopen. It is also made to be safer, with a new emergency evacuation alarm system and additional emergency exits. Outside, the parking lot and perimeter have new LED lighting. Tops says it is working with state, city and community leaders to create a permanent public memorial to be installed outside the store.“I think there’s still a place of mourning and grieving,” she said. “We’re still kind of in a blaming space, where they need somewhere to focus that energy. And so it’s just being focused here, which is completely understandable.”
“This is such a family store, it’s so close to everyone’s homes,” said Louis, who frequently walked the four blocks to the store wearing Crocs and house pants. “When I’m in Tops, I know that these people aren’t judging me.”
You know what would honor the victims of tragedies like this, some form of gun control.
Suck it up it's not the last time it's going to happen. Some things we got to get used to in today's economy and culture