On any given day, Erkan Taha switches between English, Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish and Spanish to talk to those who stop by his Oakland grocery, Sultan Bey.
Being fluent in four languages — and decent in two others — is how Mr. Taha connects with his customers, who are as diverse as the products lining the store’s six aisles.
Like many other international groceries scattered across Pittsburgh, Sultan Bey meets the specific demands of cultural groups that otherwise have nowhere else to turn.
And that’s what he treasures most about his work: being able to provide items celebrating cultures often overshadowed in American markets.
“You can’t find this at Giant Eagle, Aldi or Walmart,” he said, gesturing toward other products he carries. “This tea is from Yemen, but if you turn around there’s Snickers right here. This is from England, this is from Germany, that’s from Turkey. That’s Spain, that’s from Pakistan and that’s from Holland.”
Mr. Taha, 54, opened Sultan Bey about four years ago after closing a Dollar Store that faced increased competition when other businesses moved in nearby.
So he had to start again with something new — “something unique,” he said.
He noted the majority of his customers are Middle Eastern or Hispanic, but he also gets visitors from all walks of life.
Whether they walk in out of curiosity or want to find that one ingredient for that one recipe, he eagerly shows them around. They typically become regulars after that, he said.
In case he doesn’t have something in stock, he’ll order it. That way, customers know his store is also theirs, whether they have a craving for Turkish chocolate or a Snickers bar.
Mr. Taha’s shop is one example of the small, cultural groceries, which are often far smaller than the big-name chains but compensate with close-knit vibes.
Instead of speakers playing music while customers shop, owners have conversations at the register. In place of sweeping aisles to push carts through, they have densely stacked shelves that make finding items part of the experience.
Stores with family history
Groceria Merante opened in Oakland in 1979, following a wave of Italian immigrants that came to Pittsburgh in the 1800s and 1900s.
Filomena Merante, 59, co-owns the store with her sister, Julia, and notes that today, they serve the grandchildren of the first generation that came to the U.S.
“We were fortunate enough to have my dad lead us,” Filomena said. “We’ve always been a family business. We keep following the old way of working hard. It just works.”
With a deli in the back, fridges filled with cheeses and sausages, and pre-made meals hidden between the store’s three aisles, a customer could make a dinner on the spot.
And just as their customers have done for years, if you need help choosing a sauce, feel free to ask.
The sisters have notably seen many changes in the community as families grew up, as the Italians moved out of Oakland, and more students came to the area.
Now their customer base is roughly split between students and Italian-American families, yet appreciation for the store has remained the same.
Filomena said that people are becoming increasingly interested in international cuisine. From study abroad students to visiting professors, Groceria has a variety of clients who become regulars.
“But with changing generations we try to accommodate,” she added. “[students] do like soy milk and almond milk, so we incorporated that. I don’t drink any milk, but it’s good both ways.”
That’s resulted in a balance between the imported tomatoes, candy and pasta, and the loaves of bread students hurriedly get on their way back home.
Groceria’s inventory reflects its evolving customer base, which Filomena considers a “smart” business move.
The founders of Panda Supermarket, an Asian-American grocery store in Squirrel Hill, feel much the same way.
Shelly Fan, 42, is a former University of Pittsburgh student who saw a need for a local Asian-American grocery. So she helped start one last year.
Carrying mostly Japanese, Korean and Chinese products, Panda caters to the international student population and is looking to get certified to make prepared foods on-site.
“It’s that feeling of missing home,” she said. “I’m trying to find all kinds of stuff that they don’t have here in American grocery stores — from [students’] hometowns and home countries for when they’re homesick.”
Panda also makes deliveries, so students can avoid hauling groceries on a bus ride.
A lot of consideration for their predominantly-student clientele was put into the store, but underlying those efforts is its cultural focus, Ms. Fan explained.
The fresh produce, frozen foods or lychee-flavored snacks — among other things — helps Ms. Fan deliver a taste of home to international students or something new to those who are curious, akin to what Groceria’s owners are doing.
Ms. Fan and Filomena both appeal to specific cultural groups, but they both know they’re running businesses. As a result, they’ve had to make compromises so their inventories and services can appeal to a more generalized audience.
Making such compromises has given some small grocer owners concern over what lies ahead.
Muhammad Ali, 31, is a partner at Kohli’s Indian Imports in Oakland. He has some doubts about the future of his business.
“I thought that if we were different we wouldn’t have to worry about competition, but that seemingly isn’t the case,” he said. “[We’re] not just “the Indian store” — we have an American part too, so we can survive.”
Kohli’s has been open for more than 20 years, but has faced rising competition against Giant Eagle within the last five years, according to Mr. Ali.
He argued it’s indicative of what may happen to the small grocer: as larger chains expand their international products at lower prices — because they can afford to buy in bulk — smaller stores won’t be able to keep up.
He added that consumer behaviors are also changing, where convenience is beginning to trump novelty.
So, even if international grocers house unique items, if something similar can be found for cheaper despite being of a lower quality, that’s where he expects shoppers will go.
“Personally, if I need milk and some Indian food and I can find it at one place, I’d rather go there. I don’t think the small stores will survive,” Mr. Ali said.
He noted that smaller grocers have some advantages over chains though, particularly how it is embedded in the nature of international grocery stores to give hands-on attention to customers.
After spending some time in them, any shopper could see his point.
You could see it in the conversation Mr. Taha had with a customer on how cold his sodas were, for example. Or how Filomena joked about the stormy weather with the woman who forgot her umbrella.
And it was evident by the community group ads flanking the counters of Seoul Mart, an Asian-American market in Oakland.
When asked what he was worried about the most when starting Sultan, Mr. Taha said: "Business comes with a risk.” He added that it takes dedication and attentiveness.
But, he said, once the owner shows that they care, the customers will too.
“We’re here to please our customers,” he said. “I ask them: ‘What is it that you need?’ they tell me some items that I wasn’t familiar with and I got it for them. And they keep coming.”
Tyrone Lomax: tlomax@post-gazette.com
First Published: August 20, 2018, 4:06 p.m.
