vanharken.com

A Columbia University student of journalism student found out that sometimes a business has many ways to make money. He was covering a story about a local business, Friday August 16, when police raided a Rastafarian Health Food store located at 350 116th St. The raid was in response to an anonymous phone call complaining about marijuana distribution, the police said.

As a two-hour interview with store clerk Max Gachette wrapped up, the student turned to leave and five plain-clothes detectives burst through the door. They screamed for everyone to put their hands up. They immediately cuffed Gachette and frisked the student.

"This store sells weed, we have proof of that either by seeing transactions or by [the counter clerk] selling to undercovers," police said. "We obtained a warrant and have searched the place. We have recovered some quantities right now."

Charges will be made against the store clerk, Max Gachette, for possession and distribution of marijuana, police said. They said they will most likely not charge the store or the store owner unless evidence shows that the owner is involved.

The store, My Cup Runneth Over, has been open at the location for two years. It specializes in Rastafarian paraphernalia, incense, vegetarian health foods and it makes fruit smoothies and shakes. Gachette has worked at the store for three weeks.

Before the raid, the student interviewed both Gachette and the owner of the store.
The owner, a man who only goes by Cox, is from Trinidad. He migrated to the U.S. in 1991.

"I used to have another store on the west side, 118th and Eighth Avenue," Cox said, "but I had problems with the landlords so I moved. I picked here because most people in the area don't know much about health. I want to teach people to live with love and kindness, get the youths this message."

The recent recession has been affecting sales, Cox said, and he's not too keen with the American business culture.

"American different," Cox said comparing the U.S. with Trinidad. "It has no love. You have to work too hard to make money here."

Homeless since 1999, Gachette currently resides at the Charles H. Gay shelter for men on Wards Island. To deal with the hardships and temptations of being homeless, he turned to Rastafarianism.

"First I read the Bible," Gachette said. "Whole thing from cover to cover and back again. I rewrote it, out by hand. I know the Bible. I know what it teaches and it helps keep me on the straight path so I can survive in the shelters. You can't have sex with another man, in the shelter that's everywhere, that's why they call it Gay shelter," he said laughing. "You can't smoke or sell the cocaine."

Gachette notes that he has a strong work ethic and that since he began working at the store three weeks ago, sales have increased.

"I don't let them do that, see," Gachette said referring to customers who were used to haggling prices with other employees. "Those were the other guys, I told you. I must profit enough in order to live within the demands of the neighborhood, for if I do not profit, I cannot live."

After stopping by the store for more than a year, observing, buying vegetarian food to cook outside, Gachette said, he started working with Cox by helping to move heavy furniture.

"I helped fix up the place," he said. "I moved tons of trash from the back. I work for free here you know. Just want to be partners in a good business."

Gachette and Cox are interested in expanding the shop into a restaurant. They said that's when the real money would start coming in, but there was a lot that had to be done with the place.

"Right now we just do juices," Gachette said, "good juices that are good for you. You can pick some fruits from the fridge, or you can bring in your own. But, as soon as the landlord stops messing with us and gets this place up to code, we want to get into some good food too, food that's good for you."

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