like this and boil water and a bit of honey.
“They come back and say ‘wow that was amazing’.”
Mr Safy said his big sellers are staples: bread, milk and butter while others come-in for fizzy drinks.
“To be honest with you, everything sells. Weekend, people like to drink alcohol. It’s quite a nice community.”
One of the heart messages described the shop as “the heartbeat of the community”.
Another has the message “Abdul
Mimi was there when the New Journal dropped in on Monday.
“She is not my cat,” he said. “We can’t have a cat in the shop. When I’m sitting outside, she won’t go anywhere.
She spends five to six hours with me. People on the street take photos of me and show them to me. They are so cute.”
Another regular is Patricia, who has lived in the area for 30 years.
“Everyone loves Abdul,” she said. “He’s the best, believe me. Thousands around here rely on him, particularly the old people.”
Mr Safy said he had enjoyed seeing three generations of Patricia’s family pass through the shop and has fond memories of meeting her 11-year-old grand- daughter after she had been born.
And Mr Safy said he was a big fan of the New Journal, adding: “It’s important for older people.
“If you print my story, you’ll be surprised how many people will read it.”