Aaron’s Alley owner remembered 10 years after his death

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It has been 10 years since Aaron Plunkett, the owner of Aaron’s Alley on Monroe Avenue in Rochester passed away. 

Thursday, his family and friends came together to remember and honor his life.

There was no shortage of laughter and smiles at Aaron’s Alley on Thursday. Aaron Plunkett’s family says he was known as the mayor of Monroe Avenue

He was always looking for a way to lend a hand or to help mediate a conflict. He founded his hippie shop back in 1990 and ran it until his sudden death in 2013. 

His wife Jen told News10NBC’s Natalie Faas that when the community found out about Aaron’s passing they went to the store and filled the walls of the ally with messages of love for Aaron. 

She welcomed the community back Thursday to do the exact same thing. 

“‘Free to be you, free to be me’ that was Aaron’s slogan. ‘Free to be you, free to be me’ — whatever that may be as long as we all have a kind heart,” says Jennifer Plunkett. “So no matter what we dress or what we look like or what we may follow different from someone else, we are all still humans and we need to treat each other that way.”

They are going to leave the chalk outside the store just in case you missed the event and want to go share a message. They’ll also have a stand Thursday at Party in the Park if you want to pay them a visit.