BUFFALO, N.Y. — For the first time since a gunman opened fire outside and inside the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue, the mayor of Buffalo got a chance to see the store as it is being remodeled.
"The store looks completely different inside, it does not look like the same store on the interior and there are also substantial exterior renovations being done," said Mayor Byron Brown.
He realizes not everyone will feel comfortable returning to the store to shop.
"Everyone is not going to feel comfortable coming back to the store and we certainly understand that but thousands of people in the community rely on that shopping option and I give Tops tremendous credit for listening to the community, listening to their customers and employees, and changing just about every single thing in that store so that when people do come to the store it will look and feel like a brand new store," Brown said.
Shirley Wood said she plans to return to the store when it reopens.
Tops plans to reopen the store by the end of July.
Mayor Brown talked about his feelings about going inside the store where white supremacists went inside to kill Black people.
"This is the first time that I've walked in the store since May 14. I have to honestly say it did have an impact on me. I did feel some trepidation, some concern going back in, but instantly as I got into the front door it was different. It looked different than it looked previously and so that was helpful to me and I'm hoping that it will be helpful to other people."