Boulder's south-side King Soopers will reopen Jan. 20, 10 months after the mass shooting that killed 10 people and ravaged the store.
"This store has been the cornerstone of the South Boulder Community for the last 49 years and has served as an icon, providing food and a sense of community to our neighbors, friends and customers and we are looking forward to welcoming our associates and the community back to their fully remodeled store," the company said in a news release.
King Soopers announced last spring it planned to renovate the store and hoped to reopen in late fall. The company took feedback from employees and people in the community when redesigning the Boulder location, according to the release.
On March 22, a gunman killed 10 people, including a Boulder police officer, before officers took him into custody. The suspect faces dozens of charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder and weapons counts related to possessing banned high-capacity magazines. The 10 people killed were Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Teri Leiker, 51; Officer Eric Talley, 51; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.
“We’ve always known that Boulder was a special place, but you’ve proven through your empathy, your strength, help and support that Boulder is so much more than a place; it’s more than a community; Boulder is our family,” said Joe Kelley, the president of King Soopers.
In September, the company announced 50% of the south Boulder store's employees have committed to returning to work there. Employees already hired for the store's reopening will work and train at neighboring King Soopers stores, according to the release.
“The south Boulder King Soopers is an integral part of our community. The store's re-opening will be a welcome and important step forward as we continue to process and heal after the horrific events of March 22, 2021," said Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett.
