Local stores reopening to help people through tough times in quake-hit Kahramanmaras

By Mehmet Solmaz

KAHRAMANMARAS, Türkiye (AA) – After last week’s earthquakes, almost all businesses had to close up in Kahramanmaras, the city at the epicenter of the devastating disaster that has claimed thousands of lives in southern Türkiye.

Slowly, owners of some of the less damaged shops are reopening their businesses.

Yusuf Gulhan, who runs a supermarket in the Karaziyaret neighborhood, said their shop was shuttered for 11 days straight.

“We didn’t come to the shop right after the earthquake. We’ve just come now to see if there was any loss of life. The shop was standing. There is some damage but, thankfully, no loss of life,” Gulhan said as his father attended to customers and brother cleaned up honey spilled from broken jars on the floor.

The family has been tiding up the store, which “turned into a total mess” after the earthquakes.

“We’ve been trying to organize the shop for the past two days. All the goods were off the shelves. Everything was on the floor,” said Gulhan.

The family had been giving out fresh fruit and vegetables to locals for free while their shop remained shut.

Gulhan said they will try their best to help people by charging reasonable prices for their goods.

- Meeting critical needs of survivors

Due to the relentless aftershocks and damage to their homes, almost everyone in the city has been living in tents.

To make it as comfortable as possible, people have been looking to hardware stores for essential supplies such as wiring for lighting and heating devices.

Mustafa Kozan, a local hardware store owner, said it has been physically and emotionally tough for everyone but they are trying to stay strong, and pledged to do his own part.

“We’ve opened our store after 11 days. We’re trying to organize it bit by bit. We’re trying to meet the needs of the people, we’re trying not to charge people,” he said.

Just across the road, another store has opened its doors.

The owner, Fatih Gonen, sells all sorts of gas cylinders, stoves, cookers, and lighting equipment.

“Since the disaster, we were serving our customers in every possible way and never let them down. We opened the stop yesterday and people’s reaction has been really good. They find whatever they need; from cylinder heads to gas lamps, everything can be found here,” Gonen said.