Zubeda Bano immigrated to the United States from Pakistan and opened Qaderi Sweetz N Spicez grocery shop in West Valley 25 years ago. Seven years ago, he opened a second location in Liberty Wells.
I visited the shop in Liberty Wells and was surprised by its size. It is spacious and packed with Indian and Pakistani goods, from food items to music and movies. The shelves by the long counter are lined with hundreds of DVDs. The Bano family is proud to serve a diverse clientele, that besides the Indian and Pakistani population, includes average Utahns.
At the beginning of the pandemic, and fearing a famine, a rush of customers overflowed the shop, stocking up on their favorite food items. But afterward, the flow of customers tapered off and business slowed down. People just are not spending as much as they did in the beginning, due mostly to job loss or the uncertainty that Covid has brought to all of our lives.
Qaderi Sweetz N Spicez has two locations:
- 1785 S State Street, Salt Lake City
- 3546 S Redwood Road, West Valley City
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