Downtown Raleigh Subway damaged in protests reopens 4 months early with help from Raleigh-Apex NAACP
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A downtown Raleigh Subway had a grand reopening months before it expected to.
"I'm so excited, so happy to have my store back and opened for the public to go back to serve the community," said Rashid Salahat, Subway owner.
The windows are intact and sub-making is back underway, with a much different scene Wednesday morning than what we saw just a few weeks ago.
"We wanted to make sure we could get him back in operation as soon as possible," said Gerald Givens, NAACP
At the end of May, the Subway on Fayetteville Street suffered major damage during violent protests in downtown Raleigh.
Owner Rashid Salahat didn't know when he would be able to reopen because of the financial burden. So the NAACP stepped in offering to help.
"Those who could sweep, swept. Those who could clean, cleaned. Those who could donate, donated," Givens said.
They did not want to disclose the total amount of money donated but Salahat said they were able to reopen the doors about four months earlier than expected.
He couldn't be more proud of his community, so he can get back to doing what he loves
"It's not the money. It gives me a chance to interact with other people and help other people and that's what I'm here for," Salahat said.
At Subway, they decided to celebrate the reopening the only way they know how - by handing out free sandwiches Wednesday morning.
