They go to church on Sundays, and occasionally, they go out to eat with some of their church family. But the majority of their hours are spent at the store.
The couple opened North End Market in 1982, and at the time, the store was stocked with less than $100 of product. It continued to grow and meet the needs of locals in the area near the building at 927 Vine St, where they mainly offer lunch meats and snacks.
“Being here this long, I’ve watched several generations grow up. We’ve gotten so close with them all, and it’s like a big family,” Toni Moore said.
She is recognized as a beacon of hope in the North End neighborhood. She often extends store credit to those in the neighborhood who can’t afford groceries.
Toni Moore said her motivation is bringing people in the community together and serving those in her own neighborhood.
“Just seeing those that didn’t have something,” she said, is what spurred her into action.
“My husband, or I, neither one was raised with anything, and we can understand,” Toni Moore said, “It hurts to see the children do without.”
She and her husband give back in practical ways, and aim to share the lesson of “giving back” with kids, and that it’s not all about getting something.
“We hope to share the lesson of helping out, and giving back themselves,” Toni Moore said.
A few of the things that impress her the most about the neighborhood are that the community members all work together, when needed, and that they all look out for each other’s children.
“When they say it takes a village, it really does. If one of them gets off the bus, and mom’s not home right then, you have a neighbor watching for them,” she said.
Moore said, “The neighborhood has been good to us.”
Krista Morgan, a resident of the North End, said for more than 30 years, Toni and Ray have had Santa come to their store, and in recent years they have been privileged to have city leaders, business owners, and political figures to join in the festivities.
Early on, The Moores passed out candy canes, raffled off toys and did a food drive for those in the North End neighborhood.
“We would like to show everyone how a community can really come together for the wellbeing of all. Our neighbors and neighborhood always show up and come together in times of need, and we just want to show that we can come together and make joy and Christmas magic happen, too,” said Morgan.
She said, “We’re from the North End of Hamilton, it’s been known as a more depressed neighborhood in Hamilton, and it can sometimes be depressing for a lot of people in our neighborhood. Low incomes, drugs, and a lot of people, myself included, don’t have much or any family here because they’ve passed. Holidays can be difficult and we’re doing what we can to spread some cheer.”
Four years ago, leaders such Jason and Tammy Snyder of TAMZ Construction in Hamilton and Scott and Leah Smallwood of the Dayton Lane Historical neighborhood and others got involved, and Operation North End Pole was created.
Operation North End Pole supports the North End Community children by providing free pictures with Santa, hats/gloves, toys, toiletries and other gifts.
Last year, Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller proclaimed Toni Moore “The Mayor of the North End” for all of the outstanding work she does in the community.
“Everybody in the community knows and loves her,” Scott Smallwood said. “She is very selfless. She never looks for the spotlight or anything like that.”
She also hosts an annual summer picnic for residents of the community and provides food for the meal. During Operation North End Pole, Moore holds a raffle of larger toys for the children who attend the event.
“Toni is a role model, and we want people to see that,” Smallwood said. “She has been a lifeline for the community.”
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