the Garden Market.

The deal closed this week with Mrs. Adriana Whitecross selling the "mom and pop'' grocery to Mr. Manuel Mendoza and his wife, Mrs. Delia Mendoza.

Mr. Mendoza knows the store well. He worked there for the Whitecross family, before moving to Giant Foods with them.

Mr. Whitecross died in a road traffic accident on March 6 last year. A 26-year-old Smith's Parish man has been charged with causing his death by dangerous driving.

The business deal closed on May 23. Mr. Mendoza refused to comment on the purchase price for the business, but sources said it was very reasonable. Mrs.

Whitecross was off the Island and unavailable for comment.

But the purchase by the Mendozas, the owners of The Garden Market, a small grocery on Serpentine Road, is expected to improve their commercial buying power.

"That is mainly the reason we did this, to give us more buying power with two shops,''said Mrs. Mendoza.

The couple bought The Garden Market (formerly Terra's Grocery) last July, and this May 15 took over the running of Howard's, which they will soon temporarily shut down for four to six weeks for renovations.

Mr. Mendoza said that he was hoping to make a start on those renovations some time next month.

Mrs. Mendoza said: "It needs quite a bit of work on the inside. We want to put in a new floor and give it a face-lift.'' The family is now negotiating a lease with the property's owner.

Staffing levels have also changed. Mr. Mendoza said: "Right now it is only myself and two other staff. Two people, I'm told, left previous to my coming.

I don't know what happened there.

"I'll probably need one or two more staff. But I will have to work it out with my other shop. I think I will need a couple more people to help work the store.''