JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first time since three people were killed in a racially motivated shooting in August, the doors of the Dollar General store in Grand Park reopened to customers on Friday morning.
News4JAX reporter Marilyn Parker got a tour of the changes inside the renovated store and spoke with a Dollar General spokesperson ahead of the re-opening.
Pastor James Stewart said he walked into Dollar General Friday – with no fear.
“I thank God that the store is open. I have compassion for the loved ones that were lost,” Stewart said.
A plaque outside the store reads “#JacksonvilleStrong - Dollar General - 2023.”
Everything inside appears brand new with the shelves freshly stocked, including the addition of fresh produce. There is a well-being section that provides health and wellness products, and there are cameras throughout the store.
“One of the consistent pieces of feedback that we received was the need for fresh produce in this community. And so we’re happy to be able to provide that as we reopen the store,” Crystal Luce, the store’s spokesperson, said.
The company said it took time to listen to feedback from employees and the community before opening the store’s doors.
“It was important to take the necessary time to listen to and evaluate feedback from employees and the community, which informed not only the store’s upgrades but also our efforts to reopen the store in a respectful and thoughtful manner,” said Julie Martin, Dollar General divisional vice president of store operations. “We continue to provide support, counseling and outreach where needed in Jacksonville and are pleased to once again serve our Kings Road neighbors.”
The Kings Road store plans to operate under normal business hours of 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily. Any updates or changes to store hours may be found at DG.com. The addition of produce to the Kings Road store brings the number of Dollar General stores in Jacksonville offering fresh produce to more than 15 as of year-end 2023.
A memorial to the three Black victims killed in the Kings Road store remains outside, honoring AJ Laguerre Jr., 19, Angela Carr, 52, and Jerrald Gallion, 29. The store does not plan to remove the memorial.
The gunman took his own life.
Helping to heal
Dollar General has committed more than $2.5 million to efforts and organizations focused on healing and hope for Jacksonville, including previously announced donations of:
- $500,000 to the First Coast Relief Fund to support the community in the near and long term as it works to recover from the tragedy
- $1 million company pledge to match donations to its Employee Assistance Foundation, which aids members of the DG family in specified times of need.
The additional $1 million to support nonprofit and community organizations was informed by conversations with community and business leaders, nonprofits and charitable groups, employees, and local neighbors regarding how the funds can be used to help the community heal and rebuild, Dollar General said.
The company said that $1 million will support nonprofits focused on serving the Kings Road and nearby neighborhoods through revitalization efforts, education, unity, mental health and hunger relief as detailed below:
- 904WARD to help advance racial unity and healing
- Edward Waters University to fund scholarships for students in the New Town, Grand Park and greater Kings Road community for the next five years
- United Way of Northeast Florida to help advance education and workforce development initiatives
- Duval County Public Schools for literacy intervention and remediation services, tutoring programs and mentoring
- New Town Success Zone to enhance and expand education programs
- Northwest Behavioral Health Services, Inc. to help advance individual and family well-being
- Feeding Northeast Florida to help address food insecurity and hunger needs
- The Hub to support education and hunger relief efforts
- The Public Trust for Conservation for revitalization of Success Park and ‘Urban Farmacy’
Last fall, Dollar General also made a $50,000 donation to Feeding Northeast Florida to help address food insecurity while the Kings Road store was closed.
DG also partnered with the organization to provide the Kings Road community with approximately 400 Thanksgiving meals and additional products during food distributions in November and December.
“We want to be a part of the path forward for our DG family and the Kings Road neighborhood,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “We are grateful for many candid and transparent conversations with community and business leaders, nonprofits and charitable groups, employees, and neighbors. Their feedback helped inform how our donations could best support the collective community, now and into the future.”
Mixed reactions from community
As the store reopens the victims’ families and the community continue to grieve and struggle to heal from the tragedy.
Dollar General is facing a negligence lawsuit by the family of the victims.
Attorneys for the victims oppose the re-opening of the store, saying it disrespects the three who lost their lives in the attack.
“It minimizes the value of their lives,” said Adam Finkel, a lawyer with The Haggard Law Firm. “This is about money, what they’re doing. They’re trying to market again to say, ‘Come back into our stores and buy our items. So we can make up for the profit loss from having closed the store,’ having closed the store because the walls were covered in blood,” Finkel said.
Finkel said the store needs to add security guards and ensure patrons’ safety.
“If they wanted to really be the community store and give back to the community, people don’t want to be shot and killed when they go buy groceries. People want to be safe,” Finkel said. “If they truly wanted to make the argument, ‘We are reopening so that way we can give back to our community,’ well, do something to make them safe, do something to reasonably ensure that more members of this community aren’t going to fall victim to another crime.”
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the shooter left two other places when he saw security guards before ending up at Dollar General.
Finkel said the argument that this store is the only source of food for a lot of residents living nearby is “not accurate.”
“And if they wanted to really be the community store and give back to the community, people don’t want to be shot and killed when they go buy groceries. People want to be safe. That Dollar General store should not be a threat to the community. And it remains exactly that if they truly wanted to make the argument we are reopening. So that way we can give back to our community, we’ll do something to make them safe, do something to reasonably ensure that more members of this community aren’t going to fall victim to another crime,” Finkel said.
News4JAX went into the neighborhood Thursday and spoke with residents who live nearby. Some of them said they are looking forward to the store’s reopening, while others said it was not the right move.
One neighbor told News4JAX he’s glad the store is reopening because it’s the closest one to him. He said he visited the store the day of the attack, just 20 minutes before the shooting happened.
Despite being so close to the attack, the man said he feels comfortable knowing that the store will remain in his neighborhood.
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But a few doors down, a woman told News4JAX she would never go back to the store because the tragedy is “too close to home” and she doesn’t think even security guards would make her feel safe enough to return.
“It’s really important for us to pause and to really reflect on the senseless tragedy that happened here. I can tell you hate has no home at Dollar General,” Luce said in response to the woman who said she would not be coming back to the store.
Luce also said safety and security are a top priority at the Dollar General store and that they have invested in security measures. However, she did not disclose what those measures are.
State Representative Angie Nixon said she understands everyone’s feelings whether they are happy or upset — but she said she is satisfied that the store listened to the suggestions of neighborhood residents.
“I do know that there are some residents that are upset about the reopening. However, I also know that the area in which the Dollar General is located is in a food desert and food insecure area. And that store honestly served as one of the places that folks can go get groceries. And so, I’m a little torn,” Nixon said.
She also said to help her community, she wants to make sure Dollar General is doing all it’s promised to do for the area.
“We want to ensure that the community gets the support that they need. At the end of the day, you know, I just want to create an environment or and create opportunities for folks to flourish,” Nixon said. “We in our communities have for so long just been overlooked. And it shouldn’t take a tragedy to shine a light on the huge disparities that are within our communities. It’s time for us to come together. It’s time for elected officials to come together and to address the neighborhoods that they have left behind.”