Henrico Small Business Spotlight: Ummah Market

In Glen Allen, Ummah Market is more than just a neighborhood grocery store, but a culmination of culture, passion, and community for customers who come to visit.

Established in 2020 by brothers Jawad and Naser Shahwali, Ummah Market transcends the conventional boundaries of a grocery store, embodying a profound commitment to providing access to fresh food while nurturing a sense of belonging within the community, catering to a culture that is growing in the community.

The story of Ummah Market can’t be told without the many decisions that Jawad and Naser had made to get here, even before the business had come to mind. When asked about their journey to establishing a business in America, Jawad Shahwali, a native of Afghanistan, shared his reasons as to why he made the tough decision to move to America back in 2011.

"When the situation in Afghanistan got worse, I decided to make a future for my children and where they are going to be secure," he said.  “As immigrants in those countries, people do not necessarily understand here how difficult it is when you have kids and when you have responsibilities. And when you are in a country where there is no certainty of your future, of your children.”

While Jawad had grown a love for the United States after briefly visiting with some friends and eventually deciding he wanted to make the move, there was another decision that held him back from establishing himself in the United States.

“The fact that my brother is Canadian and my whole family was in Canada," he said. "Although I love Canada,  I said, no, I want to be an American."

His goal was to plant himself and his family in a place where he knew the opportunity would be plentiful, and after having conversations with his brother, they then decided to become established in the United States – and specifically in Virginia – to allow his kids to pursue the opportunities for education and secure lifestyle.

The inspiration behind Ummah Market specifically stemmed from the brothers' introduction to American food.

"When I first came to the US and started a business in this field,  I realized that the food here was not all natural food," Shahwali said.

This realization struck a chord, prompting the brothers to delve deeper into the issue of food accessibility and its impact on health.

"I figured out that the food here is not always the healthier food," he said. "It triggered me to do some research on how the food is here."

That epiphany served as the beginning of their mission: to make fresh, quality food readily available to all.

Education in health and wellness plays a pivotal role in fostering healthier eating habits and, consequently, a happier community, the Shahwalis believe.

"The second part is we educate people also within our market," Shahwali said. "That's our strategy; how to be mindful of eating."

Promoting and educating healthier choices comes with its pitfalls, as trying to find people who believe in the same ideas sometimes can be a challenge.

"Of course, this is not an easy business," Shahwali said, explaining that issues from staffing to strategic planning have presented challenges. "A lot of people might have been thinking of the good of people, but not everybody can take the challenge to do this. So finding people to do exactly what you want to do and retain those people has been a little difficult."

But positive feedback from an under-represented community has been a source of immense encouragement for the two brothers, further emphasizing their mission and expanding their services.

“A lot of people come and appreciate it they come and give us prayer for our success and are encouraging us to open the market so they don’t have to drive to D.C. to get what they need," Shahwali said. "Really the encouragement that my brother and I have gotten from starting this business is what I always remember.”

When asked about their favorite things at Ummah Market’s hot bar, Shahali highlighted the diverse array of freshly baked bread and traditional Afghan snacks, like bolani. Beyond the culinary delights, what truly sets Ummah Market apart, customers believe, is its unwavering commitment to treating every customer with dignity and respect. As one customer of theirs noted, "This humble place keeps expanding their offering of regional foods and gifts from Central Asia and the Middle East. More importantly, the staff treat each customer with dignity no matter where we came from or when we arrived in the USA."

The decision to come to the United States not only allowed for space for Shahwali to create a space for people to have healthier options and access to a familiar culture but also for his children to reap the benefits of his decisions and the hard work both he and his brother have undertaken.

"I am so proud that I am now an American, and my kids are American," he said. "I see a better future than I was thinking a couple of years before for my children”.