LEWISTON, Maine — Just over six months after a mass shooting at Just-In Time Recreation bowling alley in Lewiston, the small business has reopened.
Owners Justin and Samantha Juray welcomed the community back at 10 a.m. Friday. A ceremony was then held at 3:30 p.m., which featured remarks from Gov. Janet Mills.
"We will never forget October 25th, but neither will we let it define us. We are still a civil, safe, and welcoming state, with a backbone as strong as Katahdin," Mills said during the ceremony. "We are who we always have been — a people with a deep and abiding sense of right and wrong, determined to look out for one another, knowing how very lucky we are to live in this beautiful state."
"[I'm] very excited to open the doors and welcome everybody back. I miss everybody," Justin told NEWS CENTER Maine Friday morning. "It'll be great to see as many smiling faces today as possible."
Employees and community members began showing up at the bowling alley early Friday to set up for the big day. Friday's community event featured local food trucks and other activities.
Justin Juray said the local bowling community, and the larger community as a whole, made this reopening process possible.
"It's family, and they've brought us this far," he added.
The Jurays have spent the past six months re-inventing a space touched by tragedy. On Oct. 25, 2023, an armed gunman entered the bowling alley and opened fire. In total, 18 people were killed in shootings there and at Schemengees Bar and Grill, a nearby business.
When people walk through the doors of the bowling alley on Friday, they saw a brand new business with inspirational pictures at the end of each lane, bright paint on the walls, and new floors.
There are also several memorials for the 18 victims of the shootings, including the eight people who were senselessly killed at the bowling alley. Two of those victims were staff members.
The Jurays said most of the surviving staff have chosen to return to work.
"I'm excited to open. I'm ready to have the community back," Justin Juray said. "I miss everyone."
Security cameras and a new door has been installed at the establishment. The Jurays said their goal is to make people feel as safe as possible without sacrificing personal freedoms. Other updates have been made to the lanes, monitors and entertainment system.
The couple said they felt the presence of the people who died the entire time they have been cleaning and renovating the space.
"It has changed a lot. Obviously, it's just making it better, making it new and fresh, and making them proud, by not forgetting but letting the bad go and moving forward," Samantha Juray said.
Read Gov. Janet Mills' full speech at the ceremony:
Good afternoon. I am honored to join you all on this important day for the people of Lewiston and for the State of Maine.
About three years ago, Justin and Samantha purchased this bowling alley right before the previous owner closed it for good, preserving a fixture of the Lewiston community “Just-In-Time.”
Just-In-Time Recreation Center is a place where people can gather to celebrate birthdays and to bowl with their children, unwinding from a long day at work or celebrating the weekend with laughter and love. It is a place that brings people together. As Samantha said, “People come in here as strangers, but they leave as friends and family.”
Six months ago, Just-In-Time was one of two locations targeted by a horrific attack that robbed us of the lives of eighteen beloved people – our family, friends, and neighbors.
In an instant, the tightly woven fabric of Maine was torn apart, leaving an immense hole in the heart of our state and in the hearts of their families and the survivors hurt by wounds both seen and unseen.
Our hearts are still healing, and the road to healing is long, but today Justin and Samantha are helping us all take a big step forward by reopening Just-In-Time.
With this opening, they reaffirm their love and support for Lewiston, for the victims and their families, and for this precious place we call home. As Justin said, “We are still here, and this is for our community.”
I know that reopening may not have been an easy decision to make. On behalf of all Maine people, I want to thank you for giving your community the chance to make more good memories with their loved ones here.
We will never forget October 25th, but neither will we let it define us. We are still a civil, safe, and welcoming state, with a backbone as strong as Katahdin. We are who we always have been — a people with a deep and abiding sense of right and wrong, determined to look out for one another, knowing how very lucky we are to live in this beautiful state.
With this reopening, we reaffirm that Maine people will always embrace and value one another, as imperfect as we may be, as we search for happiness in the short, blessed time we have here. Justin and Samantha, I congratulate you and I wish you years of enduring success in the Lewiston community.
Watch the full commemorative ceremony here:
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