Biz owner mourns ‘nice guy’

NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen never made it back to the 227 Deli Grocery.

The 42-year-old police veteran, a regular at the bodega down the block from the 102nd Precinct stationhouse in Queens, stopped in most mornings to buy a bottle of water — and always insisted on paying the full price.

“I told him ‘No pay,’” employee Mural Jamil, 29, said on the morning after Simonsen’s onduty shooting death. “And he pays, and he goes. He’s a nice guy. … I feel bad.”

The bodega Wednesday created an impromptu memorial to their lost customer, who spent his entire 19-year police career working in the neighborhood.

Jamil and a cousin closed the 24-hour store for an hour in the detective’s honor, creating a display with flowers, candles and an American flag in the store’s front window (above). A copy of the Daily News front page with Simonsen’s photo was taped inside of the window, and Jamil said a prayer for the departed cop.

“A very sad day,” said bodega co-owner Amin AlAriki, 35. “This is a very, very nice guy. I always, every morning, see him come here to my store.

Jamil was home before starting his Tuesday evening shift when Simonsen and Sgt. Matthew Gorman were shot while answering a robbery call at a local business.

Simonsen was fatally shot in the chest, while Gorman survived after taking a bullet to his hip, police said.

Both workers recall Simonson chatting with staff during his daily visit.

Jamil said the detective always let the workers know he was there to help: “He was saying, ‘Any problem, let me know.’ ”