Boulder Shooting: King Soopers Store Will Be Renovated, Expected To Reopen This Fall
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) -- The King Soopers store in south Boulder will be renovated and is expected to reopen in the late fall, officials said Wednesday. Ten people were killed in the grocery store on Table Mesa Boulevard on March 22.
"The revitalization and reopening of this store sends a clear message that we will not be bound by our recent tragedy, and then hope and solidarity can overcome fear and hatred," Boulder Mayor Sam Weaver said Wednesday during a news conference.
"Together, we will persevere and continue to thrive, reclaiming this common space for the vital uses it supports in our community. As the city boulders people stand strong in support of this rebuilding project, and all that it represents in our collective healing process," Weaver stated.
Officials from King Soopers issued a full statement that can be read here.
Weaver said the act of renovating and reopening the store is only the physical part of the recovery.
"As a community, we need to continue to support all of the people who work and who shop in this neighborhood center as we recover -- the folks behind the cash registers, and the counters, those stocking the shelves," Mayor Weaver said. "Let's make sure that we're lifting them all up, the business owners staff and customers as they heal and come to terms with what happened on March 22."
Weaver said that after Memorial Day, tribute items left outside the store will be removed from the temporary fence and preserved.
"[The Museum of Boulder] will gather these memorial items for cleaning and to prepare them for preservation," Weaver explained. "They will also work with the victims families to decide the best permanent home for the items. This might mean adding them to the museum's permanent collection or digitizing and documenting them and providing safe storage. The museum will hold these items in the public trust, acting as the protectors of these stories for the future."
The King Soopers employees who survived the deadly shooting will be paid without having to work through June 19.
Those who would like to share feedback about the redesign of the store should email boulderstrong@kingsoopers.com.
