My Profile is going to be on a neighborhood Grocery store owner. For now, I am not sure if he wants to be named so we’ll call him Steve. Steve was born in Palestine and came to the United States at 10 months old. He was raised in what used to be considered Guwanas and is know known as South Slope. He lived on 24^th street between 3^rd and 4^th avenue with his parents and five brothers. His father was a storeowner and starting investing in Park Slope property before it was a nice neighborhood. Steve told me with his eyes watered that his dad raised him and his brothers to be kind to neighbors. He then told me about the time his dad was diagnosed with cancer and decided to retire and close his deli that was located on 12^th street and 8^th avenue. “When my dad retired, the neighborhood threw him a black party and gave him a plaque that said nicest deli guy.”

Steve’s dad told his son’s that a person has two feet and can decide to walk to any grocery store they want. Kindness is what makes people walk to their deli’s instead. As I interviewed Steve, he began to tell me about neighbors, businesses and why they shut down and the principle he went to high school with in the neighborhood charter school. Everyone in the neighborhood from construction worker, to high school student knows Steve and his family. While visiting his shop, a pregnant woman ordered two bacon egg and cheese sandwiches and a Snapple. She didn’t have enough money, so he said she could pay him back next time. That is the kind of guy Steve is.

This profile on Steve is going to describe the neighborhoods transformation from his perspective. He has been living in South Slope for such a long time, he know details about the neighborhood most people don’t.