By:Karenlyn Barone
"I'm at a loss for words," said Joe Rossi, owner of the supermarket section of the store, the day after the fire. "I don't know what to say."
The popular retailer, who has multiple owners, is located on the triangle of Hempstead, Hendrickson and Franklin avenues, on the border of Lynbrook and Malverne. It has been a community mainstay for over 20 years and was the victim of another fire as recently as September 2002. At that time, flames ripped through the building and caused extensive damage, which forced the store to undergo a major repair and subsequent renovation. It was three months before they could re-open their doors for business. There is no estimate of how much this most recent fire has damaged, nor how long the repairs might take.
The displaced employees, some of whom were also victims of the first fire, were visibly upset and confused about how the fire would affect their employment status.
"We're broke," said Jeannie Mullen, who has been employed as a cashier for more than one year. "It's summer and without a job we won't even be able to afford to go to the beach."
Store manager Denise Spencer has worked at Cross Island Fruits for the past 22 years. She said she suffered alongside her boss when the last fire left struck and she is prepared to stick by them again.
"I stayed the last time. I helped with the clean-up and everything," she said. "I was a trooper and I'm ready to help my boss again."
Residents and local customers of the store who stopped by the store on Sunday were shocked and saddened to learn of the loss.
Said one regular shopper upon learning of the blaze," Oh no! The poor owners haven't even had a chance to get over the last fire. And once again, I have no place to shop."
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> Additional reporting was done by William Pfaff.
