BOULDER, Colo. — The Table Mesa King Soopers reopened Wednesday to a little fanfare and plenty of emotion.
“I’m still crying,” said Astrid McDonald, who came out in support of the reopening. “It’s very emotional. I got flowers, and I placed them against the wall over there.”
“My heart is full,” said Kerry Cox, who started her career with the Table Mesa King Soopers in 1973 and still works for King Sooper. “Everybody here - we’re all family.”
Against the backdrop of the Boulder Flatirons, the store reopened 11 months after a shooter entered the store and killed 10 people.
“It's very touching to see everybody here," said another customer.
“It feels so good to have it all open,” said Kim Hartzell, who used to get together with her running friends for coffee at this store. “The energy is so positive, and everybody’s just so happy."
“I think it’s been harder waiting, honestly,” said Gage Price-Gaw, who works in the produce department at the store. He is walking back through these doors 11 months after he and dozens of others ran out the doors to save their own lives.
“When we first heard the first few shots - it was like, 'Is this happening?'" said Price-Gaw. “Then, there were a flood of customers trying to leave, and we ended up escaping out the back dock."
With the support of friends, family and the community, they're taking a small step toward moving on.
“It’s just nice to get back to normal – in a way," Price-Gaw said.