DALLAS — After facing food desert conditions for years, those living in an East Dallas neighborhood are finally seeing some relief. On Friday, Aug. 18, a brand new grocery store moved into the neighborhood.
“We’re excited, this is such a beautiful store, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like on the inside," said Paula Joy Kindred.
She was the very first person in line outside the El Rio Grande Latin Market at 6:00 a.m. – four hours before the new supermarket opened its doors to hundreds of new customers.
“The whole new adventure is what I guess I’m hoping to see, it’s a great location too,” said Kindred.
For the first time in years, 3035 N. Buckner Boulevard is a location where people can go to buy fresh food.
The supermarket fills a dire need for the area. Located just north of Interstate 30, the neighborhood lacked nearby resources for fresh food. It was a personal issue for the store’s CEO Hamdy Shalabi, who grew up in the area.
“As this neighborhood has a stigma for being in a rough side of town, I believe that it is not a rough side of town. I think it’s people that want to be respected, and we will achieve a phenomenal store,” said Shalabi.
He and his family came up with the concept to combine their middle eastern heritage with the cultural traditions of fresh Latino foods. Shalabi’s daughter, Tayma, is proud of what her family has accomplished.
“It feels like a full circle moment where they are able to come back and give back to the community that raised them and build something that they lacked when they were younger, which is an amazing supermarket,” said Tayma Shalabi.
At over 59,000 square-feet, the supermarket includes a pastelería, or pastry shop that offers delicious sweet breads, a palapa, or juice bar, and beloved Mexican desserts like tres leches cake. All items that are right up Kindred’s cooking alley.
“I’m a competitive cook, so I love to cook, and I love all the different Latin flavors and recipes," she said.
For shoppers like Zaida Salazar, it’s about providing the nutrition their family needs at an affordable cost.
“I wanted to just check it out the good prices and everything, and I am going to recommend some people to come back too,” said Salazar.
With almost half a million Dallas residents currently living in food deserts, the Shalabi family believes more affordable and reachable supermarkets are a step in the right direction.
“We know how it feels to spend your all your paycheck on some groceries, and we just want to make it accessible to everybody,” said Tangela Shalabi.