Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy
In case you missed it over the holidays, the neighborhood is remembering Stella Soltowska of Ray's Candy Store at 113 Avenue A.
Stella, who worked at Ray's for nearly 50 years, passed away over the holidays. She was 80.
There was an outpouring of tributes to her on the EVG Instagram account (and elsewhere).
A sampling:
"Oh, she was such a kind woman. The world needs more Stellas.""What a legacy. What a loss.""She was a beautiful soul. And will be missed by all the EV."Stella called my husband and I 'pees and carrots' as we stopped for our egg creams after the Pyramid Club closed. Can't count the cones my 90's kids got from her. She was one of the good ones.""Oh, this breaks my heart. What a loss to the entire city. Stella is an absolute legend.""I loved seeing her whenever I passed by - day or night, rain or shine. An anchor in such a quickly changing world. You'll be missed."
The consensus is that Stella was one of those people who made the East Village feel like home, and that feeling doesn't go away.
There is a small memorial outside the shop, and staff say that leaving something modest that reminds you of Stella is a kind gesture — and one that helps Ray see just how deeply appreciated she was by the community.
Many readers have asked how they can help. Friends say the best way is to stop in and support the store with a purchase. Ray needs the business, and staying busy helps.
When we stopped by today, he was in better spirits ... talking about Stella and greeting visitors and longtime friends as they came through.
Meanwhile, Ray's, a 24/7 business, has reduced its hours for now to 3 p.m. to 4 a.m., though these are subject to change.
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