New Town Dollar General reopens Friday, 5 months after racially motivated shooting
The New Town Dollar General reopened Friday morning, five months after a gunman killed three people at the store in a racially motivated shooting that rocked the neighborhood and closed one of the only nearby stores selling food to residents.
The memorials dedicated to the victims of the shooting, Jerrald Gallion, Anolt "A.J." Laguerre Jr., and Angela Carr, still stood in front of the store Thursday afternoon, decorated with flowers, photos and stuffed animals. The company did not hold any public memorials or dedications, but installed a permanent plaque at the entrance that says “#JacksonvilleStrong.”
After getting opinions from community organizations, public officials and residents, the store reopened with a new inside look and more fresh food options. The company also donated $1 million Friday split between Jacksonville schools, businesses and nonprofits, including Edward Waters University, Feeding Northeast Florida and 904WARD.
“We want to be a part of the path forward for our DG family and the Kings Road neighborhood,” Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy, said in a statement.
More: Relief Fund raises $1 million to lift Jacksonville community reeling from racist killings
The company originally planned to open last fall, but Crystal Luce, senior director of public relations, said they wanted to first solicit feedback from community organizations and local officials about how the store could better serve the neighborhood.
The primary answer the company received from those conversations was a need for more options for fresh food and produce. In response, the store will offer a new selection of fresh fruits, vegetables and pre-made salads, as well as a widened variety of cold food options, like frozen vegetables, cold cuts and milk.
The store is also fully staffed, with about 10 employees, who are ready to serve the community, Luce said.
The interior has been renovated with new floors, paint and widened aisles, but it is not a “Dollar General Market,” type of Dollar General store that offers a wider food selection, including fresh meat.
Mayor Donna Deegan thanked the company for its work on the new store.
"I am grateful that Dollar General is reopening its Kings Road store with an expanded selection of fresh produce and other items,” Deegan said in a statement. “The City of Jacksonville appreciates their valued partnership to respond to the community's immediate and long-term needs."
The reopening comes over a month after the families of Gallion, 29, Laguerre Jr., 19, and Carr, 52, the victims of the Aug. 26 shooting, filed a lawsuit against the chain.
Gallion and Laguerre, a Dollar General employee, were killed inside the store. Carr was killed in the parking lot while in her car. The lawsuit accuses the company of negligence, “failing to protect, guard, and secure the safety of its employees and/or customers.”
Luce could not comment on new or existing security measures during a media walk-through of the store Thursday afternoon.
The store opened to the public Friday, at 9:00 a.m. at 2161 Kings Rd.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville New Town Dollar General reopens after racist shooting
