BUFFALO, N.Y. — Friday was a major step for the East Buffalo community.

Just over two months ago, a racist attack left 10 dead and three injured when an alleged gunman opened fire at a Tops grocery store.

Now, that store on Jefferson Avenue is back open after renovations.

People came out to the store as early as 5 a.m. to gather in prayer and song as it prepared to resume business for the first time since the shooting. It was an emotional moment for many to see the fence that went up two months and one day ago finally come down. It was a sign of new beginnings.

After the doors opened, the number of shoppers steadily grew and the store and parking lot were bustling with people returning for the first time since the tragedy.

One shopper, Patricia Morrison — the cousin of Margus Morrison, who died in the shooting — said her cousin would not want people to stop living their lives and getting their groceries.

“People have to shop. People have to eat," said Patricia Morrison. "And yes, we all have had tragedies somewhere in our life, but we pick ourselves up. Pull our bootstraps up and we keep moving. We keep living this life.”

Other shoppers, like David Russell, said it was strange being inside.

 “It was a good experience it was just, really eerie," said Russell. "I couldn’t help but to think about what happened. I’m picking up my items and putting them in my bag and thinking wow this just happened here. And a couple months later I’m here putting groceries in my cart.”

Officials with Tops say 75% of staff have returned to work at the Jefferson Avenue location with employees telling them they're comfortable to be back.

The newly-renovated store now addresses security concerns that residents had before returning to shop, with wider aisles, better sight lines, increased professional security, an emergency evacuation alarm system and an emergency exit.

"I'm not scared at all," said Brue Warrick of Trust God Ministries. "I'm just waiting to go back in the store just to see what new did they bring to the Tops. I just hope people in the community will not be scared to go back in there."

The front of the store now has a permanent memorial with a poem by Buffalo poet laureate Jillian Hanesworth — another feature residents in the Jefferson Avenue community wanted to see.

Later Friday, the Buffalo Police Department said it's installing new surveillance cameras outside of the Tops on Jefferson Avenue. The new cameras will oversee the parking lot, as well as intersections at Landon and Riley streets.

Mayor Byron Brown says it’s about peace of mind for shoppers and safety for the community.

The police department says you can also register your personal cameras on homes and businesses with the Buffalo SafeCam program, which has been in effect since 2015.

The store's reopening brought mixed feelings for some residents but while they are still wrestling with grief, most are glad this day has come.

"On May 14 I got a call that a shooting took place," said La'Candice Durham of Buffalo. "I'm hopeful and I'm grateful just to be here and support the employees, the staff and the customers."

Others feel the reopening came too soon. They came out Friday with signs expressing their feelings.

"We're here to say two months is too soon," said Jalonda Hill of Buffalo. "We're hoping to have a public meeting where we can give the community an opportunity to talk about what they may want they want to see on these ... these are sacred lands now, there's blood that's been shed on these grounds. What would you want to see here? Is it Tops? OK, you know, or is it a public memorial park? Let's give the community a chance to talk about those things."

Despite the range of emotions on the store's relatively quick turnaround, one thing is certain: the tragedy will not be forgotten.