Alex Khatatari of Cortelyou Superette

If you've stepped into the Cortelyou Superette there's a good chance you've met Alex Khatatari. And if you have, you may have taught him something without even knowing it.

Originally from Yemen, Khatatari is a big fan of the Ditmas Park area and its people. He finds the neighborhood's cultural diversity and acceptance impressive.

"It's mixed. From Arab, Europe … You can meet anyone here. One guy will tell you 'I'm from Russia' then the next one will tell you 'I'm from Europe.' The next one they're going to come around and tell you they're from the Middle East."

So this is the area. This is how Cortelyou Road is."

But it's what he learns, and how close he feels to the people here that he seems to value most.

"Everyday you learn something. You learn from people. Maybe some guy comes in and talks to you about something that you don't know, like 'what is that?' They make sure you know how they do it. Or about some crime in Flatbush, they say 'Hey, be careful.' That's how the people are. When you see the people, when you meet the people, they make you feel they care. You feel like in this area, especially the people that grow fond of me, you feel almost like you have family."

"They come in here, they ask about you. Every day they ask how you are. That's how the people are in this area."