EDMONDS — Petosa’s Family Grocer, which closed down just before Easter after a malfunctioning fire sprinkler flooded the store, reopened over the weekend.
The sprinkler broke sometime late April 6 or early April 7 and water flooded into the store room, restrooms, employee lunch room and onto the store’s sales floor. Businesses located below the store also suffered water damage.
The store at 550 Fifth Ave. S. remained closed for a week for repair work, which needed to be signed off on by a health inspector.
Petosa’s Family Grocer has been owned by Betty Jo Petosa since 1986. During that time the store had only been closed for two days, during a power outage caused by extreme weather.
The store was stocked with more food than usual in anticipation of shoppers readying for Easter dinners. Because of the closure, the store’s perishable inventory — undamaged selections from the meat case, deli department and all the produce — were quickly prepared for donation to the Edmonds food bank.
To show support for Petosa and the store’s employees, area business people, residents and customers have set 6:30 p.m. Thursday for a “cash mob.”
Cash mobs are events promoted through social media and word of mouth. Anyone interested in the business being “cash mobbed” gathers at a certain time and location with up to $20 to spend. When the group has gathered, they enter the business and spend their money.
Petosa’s cash mob participants plan to meet between 6 and 6:30 p.m. at the 400 block of Howell, in front of the MS Helping Hands and Edmonds Auto Body located below Petosa’s. At the appointed hour, mobbers will go to the grocery and spend their cash.
Hamburger Harry’s is offering mobbers who show their receipt happy hour prices until 9 p.m. Thursday.
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