See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Eli Rosenberg
Brooklyn Daily
Neither rain nor gale-force winds nor falling trees stopped one Ditmas Park bodega from supplying the neighborhood with water, milk, smokes, and six-packs.
The city largely shut down in the midst of Hurricane Sandy, but Salahi Deli on Cortelyou Road said hello to the storm by staying open all night as a de facto emergency supply.
And that’s just par for the course, according to owner Mo Salahi.
“We were just trying to get people what they needed,” said Salahi, who says he can’t remember a time the store had closed in the last 20 years. “If they get stuck, we would help them.”
Top-sellers were staples including bread, milk, water, cigarettes, and beer, said Salahi.
And people trickled in all night long — even during the worst of the windy storm.
“A lot of people were not ready, they didn’t think this would be a big deal,” said Salahi.
Neighbors were appreciative as well, like Buzzfeed editor Ben Smith, who noticed the joint was open for business as Sandy rolled in on Monday.
“Guys at my corner bodega said they hadn’t closed, for a minute, in 20 years and won’t today,” he tweeted before the storm set in.
Reach reporter Eli Rosenberg at erosenberg@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2531. And follow him at twitter.com/emrosenberg.