Hundreds gathered at Just-in-Time Recreation in Lewiston Friday to celebrate the reopening of the bowling alley where a gunman took the lives of eight people just over six months ago but where the community vows to continue to gather in a spirit of healing.
Lewiston Police Chief David St. Pierre said the Oct. 25 shooting led to “shock, disbelief, grief and sadness.”
“Yet amidst the darkness there emerged a glimmer of hope, a sense of determination and resilience,” he said during a ribbon cutting at the bowling alley. “It is this resilience that brings us together today.”
Even before the red ribbon was cut, bowling balls rolled down the lanes, with music blaring and lights flashing. Girl Scouts in their uniforms and boys in their bowling league shirts showed up as staffers prepared to welcome everyone back to a place where many families have gathered for more than 30 years.
Just inside the door, several Maine Resilience Center counselors greeted those who entered, ready to help if needed.
In a statement released to the press, the Just-in-Time owners Justin and Samantha Juray said they want their business to be a place for families to make more memories.
“We can’t live in fear,” Justin Juray said. “Samantha and I want to be able to offer a space for people to come and have a good time and be with family. We can’t let the tragedy define how we move forward.”
In brief remarks on Friday, Samantha Juray thanked the community for their support.
“I just want to thank everybody for coming here and supporting us and for supporting us through the last six months and encouraging us to reopen back up,” she said. “If we didn’t have all of you, then we definitely wouldn’t be able to open our doors back up.”
On Oct. 25, a gunman killed eight people at the bowling alley before driving to a nearby bar, where he killed another 10. Thirteen others were wounded and more than 80 others witnessed the shootings.
The gunman, 40-year-old Robert Card of Bowdon, took his own life and was found dead after a two-day manhunt that shut down the city and many nearby communities.
Initially, the Jurays said they did not want to reopen. They had just purchased the business in 2021, saving it before its doors were closed forever.
On Friday, Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, representatives of the Maine congressional delegation, the local chamber of commerce president and Gov. Janet Mills praised them for their decision to reopen.
“Our hearts are still healing, the road to healing is long,” Mills said. “But today, Justin and Samantha are helping us all take a big step forward by reopening Just-in-Time.”
Sheline said while the city was “blindsided by the unthinkable” and many continue to grieve, the reopening of the bowling alley gave everyone a reason to smile.
He said the victims will never be forgotten. As part of the renovation to the bowling alley, 18 pins with the names of the victims sit on a shelf near the area where people sign up to play.
“Justin and Samantha’s reopening is a gift to this community, demonstrating the resilience that is synonymous with the word Lewiston,” Sheline said. “As we enjoy today’s celebration, we’re so proud of them. And we can be proud of Lewiston as a whole, as we will move forward and live our lives strong in honor of those who were previously with us.”
