Ethnic markets find home on Main
Since Soran Kaka and his wife, Suror Hassan, settled in Fargo-Moorhead 18 months ago, fellow Iraqi refugees have followed suit by the hundreds.
- Soran Kaka in front of Al-Medina-Al-Minawara grocery
- Al-Medina-Al-Minawara grocery locator
Since Soran Kaka and his wife, Suror Hassan, settled in Fargo-Moorhead 18 months ago, fellow Iraqi refugees have followed suit by the hundreds.
The couple hope to lure those newcomers and other imports from the Middle East to their new Al-Medina-Al-Minawara grocery on Fargo’s Main Avenue. Hence, the signage in Arabic, halal meats prepared according to Islamic law, and the head scarves by the register.
Exotic foodstuffs are no novelty on Main, which has attracted a cluster of ethnic markets, run by immigrants for immigrants. Competition is getting spirited, and it can be hard for newer ventures to break in among established stores.
Meanwhile, the markets are infusing a one-time drab industrial strip with global flavor.
“It’s getting better every day, every year,” says Tiffany Nguen, owner of FM International Foods.
Al-Medina opened a week ago, and the owners are still stocking the shelves with spices, red lentils, baklava, fig preserves – and some Snickers bars and Potato Skins.
Friend Ali Salman said he warned them about the concentration of ethnic stores: “I told them, ‘You should not go on Main Avenue because you’ll be competing against everybody.’ ”
The owners believe they can succeed by catering to what Salman estimates are 5,000 to 6,000 immigrants from the greater Middle East in town.
Main Avenue already features the Asian and American Market, FM International Foods, Lotus Blossom Grocery and, just a block off, the African General Store.
The street, store owners say, is attractive for a few reasons. One is that Main Avenue is easy to find, by both car and city bus, which is important for new arrivals. Nguen says customers come from as far away as Bismarck and Grand Forks, and Interstate 29 spews them right on Main.
Main also tends to be affordable. Konrad Olson, a commercial real estate broker, says the avenue features older buildings, including one-time industrial spaces, which can rent for $4 or $5 per square foot, compared to $10 for retail space.
Nguen, who’s been at her current Main location for eight years, isn’t fazed by the new competition. Her customers are loyal, and the new-American population in town has swelled, most recently with the arrival of hundreds of Bhutanese refugees.
“I don’t get jealous,” she says. “I’m willing to answer questions. I’m willing to help them.”
New businesses can struggle to gain traction.
“There’s a lot of competition now, and it’s pretty tough sometimes, especially when you are new like us,” said Khan Chroeung, co-owner of Lotus Blossom, a 6,400-square-foot market open for about a year. He adds: “Asian people – when they are loyal, they’re pretty loyal.”
Chroeung and his business partner, Kina Wong, have been putting in 12- to 16-hour days seven days a week. They stock products requested by customers, such as the ginger beer soda they recently lined up for a Jamaican shopper. They provide detailed advice on how to cook meals from scratch and offer a cooking class every other weekend. They offer $4.95 deals on ribeye to lure American shoppers.
Some predict the competition might boost business for everyone, especially as more U.S.-born shoppers venture to these stores.
“With restaurants and retail, it helps to cluster,” says Brian Walters, president of the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corp. “It becomes a destination shopping area.”
Readers can reach Forum reporter Mila Koumpilova at (701) 241-5529
Al-Medima-Al-Minawara Food Market
Tags: al-medima-al-minawara food market, ethnic food, main avenue, news, business, foodfargo, food
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