NILES, Ohio – Amit Kumar was weary of traveling to Cleveland or Pittsburgh to buy Indian food and spices. So he opened his own store Oct. 31 at the Pinetree Plaza in Niles, 34 Youngstown-Warren Road.
“There is a huge [Indian] community here, but we are getting support from all communities,” Kumar says.
The store offers a complete selection of spices, condiments, fresh vegetables, stuffed breads and other staples of Indian cooking. There are also premade frozen meals.
Indian Grocery also offers imported cookies and snacks “that you cannot find in any store,” he adds.
Indian food is known for its unique spices, which are found only on the subcontinent. It’s also easy to cook, Kumar says, and the store is happy to share recipes and preparation tips.
Pictured: Co-owners Shweta Nair and Amit Kumar cut the ribbon Nov. 16 with sons Ridhaan Kumar and Vrisaan Kumar. “We know what we are selling,” Kumar says. “We can explain [the ingredients] and give recipes, and tell how they can be used in cooking.”