Minnesota Clerk Gives Shoes To Homeless Man

A Minnesota liquor store employee is being praised for a generous act after she gave up her shoes to a man who has no home and didn’t have his own to wear. Brooklyn Center Liquor, located at 1350 Shingle Creek Crossing, said its employee, Ta Leia, also known as “Ace”, offered her Nike Air Jordans to a man who was asking for beer boxes to create makeshift shoes.

The store said on Facebook “Ace, being a Minnesota Vikings fan, had on her favorite pair of purple Nike Air Jordans which she gave to the man with zero hesitation. This is a true example of empathy, compassion, and holiday cheer. We can all appreciate a story like this during the holiday season. We applaud Ace for her selflessness and her willingness to help those in need!” The store said Ace is a recently hired employee and she has demonstrated how “great” she is with customers, adding that she is “a very reliable employee.”

The man is seen on surveillance video, attempting to leave with beer boxes on his feet, before Ace approached him. “I was mid-transaction and I was like, ‘hold up, let me go outside and talk to him. I said, ‘What size you wear?’ and he said 10 or 10½. I just looked around, grabbed my shoes, unlaced them and gave them to him right at the door. I didn’t care about the shoes, I cared about him. He didn’t know me, I didn’t know him. I just thought best to give him something he may need, that’s how I took it as.”

According to a Facebook post, Ace said her manager gave her another pair of shoes, for which she was “thankful.” She said she has been in a similar situation, expressing empathy towards the man. “I was raised to volunteer and give to the homeless. I’ve been there before. I didn’t hesitate to give. It made my day to see him happy,” she said. She credited her mother, grandmother and godparents for raising her to always give back.