ALBANY – Kevin Skeen no longer has to think about closing his store. Food Near Me will resume operations soon.
The owner of Food Near Me on North Pearl Street expects to finally be able to reopen the store in early March, thanks to community members who have rallied around him and his family.
At the beginning of January, the window of Food Near Me was destroyed by a car fleeing from the authorities. Skeen lost thousands of dollars in inventory, several coolers and more. The storefront was repaired by its owner, but the cost of other damage fell on Skeen, who could not afford it. The store has since closed.
He was in limbo trying to scrape together some cash and avoid closing his doors permanently. Her family started a GoFundMe, but it didn’t turn out what they were hoping for.
Skeen said a recent Times Union article detailing his loss and possible store closure changed the narrative of his story as a business owner. After the article was published, community members contributed over $15,000 in Skeen’s GoFundMe and reached out in support.
Skeen also said local lobbyist David Weinraub had pledged to cut the company a check for the remainder. To match Weinraub’s donation, United Way of the Greater Capital Region is launching a fund to match his contribution.
Thanks to generous donations from the community, Skeen is able to purchase needed new equipment and complete repairs. He anticipates that he will be able to turn on the lights in his store sooner than expected.
“It feels good, I appreciate (the help from the community) so much,” Skeen said gratefully.