Name of business: Shah Groceries
Type of business: Grocery store
Location: 2353 W. Main St., Turlock
Hours: TBA
Contact: (209) 600-9944 or management@shahgroceries.com
Specialty: Indian and international products
History of business:
Fans of Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian flavors will no longer have to travel far for their ingredients, as Shah Groceries is set to open in West Turlock. Located in the space at 2353 W. Main St. in the former home of FunWorks and Sear Appliance Center, Shah Groceries aims to provide community members with a wide array of international products, which managing director Sukhraaj Singh believes is much needed in the area.
“We wanted to do a store here because there aren’t many Indian grocery stores in the area, or they’re all pretty small. The closest one that’s of this scale is in Tracy, and it’s a lot of inconvenience for a lot of people,” Singh explained. “I know a lot of people who go to Tracy or even to Fresno to do their shopping. From me and my family’s personal experiences, we have to go to four different small-scale places and even then, we wouldn’t get everything we needed.”
Singh adds that the new, locally owned and operated grocer will offer products from all parts of India, the Middle East and of select Asian countries, as the intriguing flavors vary wildly from region to region.
“There’s a big Indian and Middle Eastern community here. And it’s not just Indian community, but Southern Indians, North Indians as well. And in India, everybody in different regions use different kinds of spices, so it’s important that we bring different groceries from different parts of India all in one place. The same goes for the Middle Eastern community, Asian communities,” he said.
In the back end of the space, Shah Groceries plans on having a fully operational meat market, another service that Singh feels is much needed in Turlock.
“We’ll be offering Indian marinated and regular meats like chicken, cow, goat, lamb, pork,” he said. “People in the area can definitely buy their meats already, but they can’t do so with it already marinated with the Indian spices. Instead, they have to marinate it themselves, but they either don’t know how to do it or they don’t have the time. Indian marinates are very complex, and that’s with regular marination being hard for many people. The closest Indian and Middle Eastern meat market that offers this would be in Stockton, and again it’s a lot of inconvenience for the community, so we’ll have that, and people won’t have to make those long drives.”
Additionally, right beside the butcher shop will be a small food court area. Singh explained that he and his team hope the area can serve as a space for workers and customers in the area to relax or spend their lunch breaks while enjoying some their selection of fresh juices and snacks
Singh also emphasized that Shah Groceries will be carrying many of their own products, like clarified butter and lentils, with personalized Shah Groceries branding in an attempt to offer lower prices to customers.
“The prices are super high for some of these products because they’re international flavors, so we just got the green light to start making our own products and to package it ourselves from our facility in Livingston,” Singh explained.
Aside from their mainstay of international products, Shah Groceries also plans on carrying standard, domestic products in their stores to give nearby residents a more convenient spot to shop.
“We’re focusing heavily on international products, but this will also be a place where you can find groceries that you see inside a regular store, like a Walmart. Especially in this part of town, we’ll be closer to a lot of homes here so people can just hop in,” he said.
And similar to a traditional grocery chain, Shah Groceries will be offering delivery services and will offer products through online marketplaces like Amazon. They also hope to establish a customer rewards program, with opportunities for exclusive sales and discounts.
Shah Groceries is currently in the final stages of getting permits to finish construction in the space. They anticipate a grand opening by mid-March.
“We still have some work to do, but we’re getting close,” Singh said. “This is going to be something that Turlock has needed for a long time, and we can’t wait to serve the community.”
