MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The growing memorial outside Makeda’s Cookies for slain Memphis rapper Young Dolph is set to be removed next week.
Candles, bears and posters honoring the life of Young Dolph covers every inch of the storefront outside Makeda’s Cookies, but the owner of the building says it is time to pick up the pieces and move forward.
“I’ve seen people from all over the world, different countries, different states, as far away as New York,” Lloyd White said.
White owns the laundromat next door and the entire building. He has been monitoring the memorial since Young Dolph was shot and killed at Makeda’s Cookies on Nov. 17. He told WREG he wants to let fans know he is taking it down next week.
“I respect what he did for the neighborhood, but it’s time to move on,” White said. “I wanted to get it out there so people wouldn’t feel like I’m a brutal person.”
White previously shared he was losing business due to the memorial.
“I feel like now it’s time for it to come down because it’s affecting me pretty bad,” he said. “Some of my customers don’t like to be around this kind of stuff where it happens, and the cookie shop, Makeda’s, they are ready to come back.”
One fan, Alvin Hardiman, drove over 100 miles to see the memorial and says he is disappointed by the news.
“It’s a little devastating to see it coming down because it’s beautiful to have something to remember him of,” Hardiman said. “We should move forward, let his name reign on forever.”
Due to potential hazards, insurance issues and repairs still needed to be made to the building, White said he’s hopeful fans will understand.
“It’s a time for us to move on and try to put our lives back together because it has affected my life, and it has been affecting Makeda’s life,” he said.
White says they are looking to salvage some of the items for a permanent memorial inside Makeda’s once the original memorial is removed next week.
