Business owner more concerned about neighbor than closing her own store down

Business owner more concerned about neighbor than closing her own store down

Like many businesses, a Downtown Orlando jewelry store is forced to close down, but this doesn't stop the store from helping the community. The store created a Gofundme account for store friend that needs help.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Stacey Papp let friends and customers know that she will be closing her Bay Hills Jewelers location in Downtown Orlando at the end of the month in a video posted on Facebook. 

While telling her friends that she will be having a sale on the inventory in her Orange Avenue location, she used the opportunity to remind people of her friend, Milton.

“For those of us who work downtown, right, we just need to remember to take care of our friends and our people.  Just don’t forget our guy,” Stacey said while pointing to Milton.

She is sad to be closing her newest store in the heart of Orlando after just over two years. 

“We sort of built it like our dream store,” explained. 

She didn’t get emotional until she spoke about her concerns for Milton.  He is a fixture in downtown.  Milton always wears a big, warm, friendly smile as he sits in his wheelchair next to his cooler, Papp said, always offering a kind word. 

“You have to look at the positive,” Milton said. 

He sells soft drinks, bottled water, and flowers out of his rolling cooler. 

“The Milton thing is harder for us than anything because we take care of everything for him in the morning. We set up his cooler and his flowers get delivered and he needs help getting set up every day,” Papp explained.  

Milton suffers from cerebral palsy and can’t always defend himself.  For the last two-and-a-half years, Bay Hill’s staff has been keeping an eye out for him through their front window. 

“There’s a lot of things that we do to help him settle up for the night and protect him and watch out for him,” Papp said. 

Stacey isn’t the only person worried about Milton’s future.  After seeing her announcement on Facebook, so many people reached out asking how they could help, she set up a Go Fund Me account for Milton. 

“I’m very thankful,” Milton said. “She’s been a very faithful, very good friend, very supportive!” 

More than $9,000 have been donated in just two days. 

While Milton and Papp won’t be neighbors for much longer, she promises to always look out for her friend.

“We’re going to come down here every week and get him what he needs or come to his home and give him what he needs,” Papp added.