Witnessing Young Dolph's murder at close range is having a powerful and painful impact on employees at the Memphis cookie shop ... but their bosses are doing what they can to support them.
As you know, the rapper was gunned down at Makeda's Cookies, and store owners Maurice and Pamela Hill tell us the 3 staffers working during Wednesday's shooting are traumatized, distraught and in disbelief.
Maurice and Pamela say the impacted employees will be allowed to take time off until they feel good enough to return, and in the meantime, they will remain on the payroll.
We're told none of the folks working in the store were hurt in the shooting -- strong evidence Dolph was targeted by the gunman -- and the Hills are grieving and praying for his family.
Maurice says Dolph -- a frequent customer and advocate for Makeda's -- had come inside to buy cookies and was on his phone when the 2 gunmen pulled up and started shooting.
As we reported ... cops have released surveillance footage of the gunmen and the getaway car -- a light-colored Mercedes-Benz -- but no arrests have been made.
There's a makeshift memorial outside the store, which is now boarded up ... and Pamela says they're not sure when they will reopen. They're taking time to let the community grieve.
It might be a while before things get back to business as usual. As we reported, there was another shooting Thursday -- not far from the store -- which sent mourners scurrying from the makeshift memorial to Dolph.
With the store closed indefinitely, the Hills are crowdfunding to help stay afloat and pay their employees ... raising more than $14,000.