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LBI Grocery Store Reopens Following Months Of 'Hell' From Sandy

LONG BEACH ISLAND, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - There was a major milestone Wednesday on Long Beach Island with the Memorial Day weekend fast approaching.

As WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported, the post-Sandy recovery now includes one of the largest supermarkets.

Murphy's Market in Beach Haven had its grand reopening Wednesday.

"It felt good. We're alive again," owner Ronald Murphy told Haskell. "The last six months, two weeks and three days have been hell."

LBI Grocery Store Reopens Following Months Of 'Hell' From Sandy

Murphy said even after he surveyed the damage, he never thought about giving up and shuttering his store for good.

Murphy's Market Long Beach Island
Murphy's Market on Long Beach Island reopens nearly 7 months after superstorm Sandy, May 15, 2013. This sign inside the store shows the damage sustained in the storm. (credit: Peter Haskell/WCBS 880)

"I couldn't believe that that could happen. It was water, we had 48 inches of water. The place was destroyed, the whole entire store," an emotional Murphy told Haskell. "Broke my heart. We're OK though."

Murphy said he borrowed $1.5 million to rebuild his supermarket to get it ready before summertime.

"We can't wait til Memorial Day, we need two weeks ahead of time to get everything up and running, get the kinks out of it," Murphy told Haskell.

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