On any given weekday in Grand Rapids, walk into Super Green Market on East Paris, and you’ll find shelves stacked with bright packages, the smell of baking flatbread, and some of the friendliest service around. Owner Ayesh Jabbar’s market is a virtual bazaar, home to a bakery, deli, catering business, halal butcher–even a barbershop and private beauty salon.
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Jabbar immigrated to Michigan with his family more than 27 years ago from the Middle East. Before Super Green Market opened four years ago, they traveled as far as Detroit or Chicago to experience a taste of home. “It’s very important to the community to know they have familiar foods so accessible,” Jabbar says.
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Now Super Green Market extends a taste of home for its many, diverse customers in West Michigan. It’s shelves are stocked with groceries sourced from Bosnia to Palestine. Both Jabbar, and his General Manager, Aida Curic have curated a wide collection of foods from all Middle East (and the globe) by listening to customers’ preferences.
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The certified halal butcher shop is just one aspect of Super Green Market that customers love. “They know they can trust that everything is halal here,” Coric says, explaining that all meat is prepared and handled according to Muslim teaching. “It means a lot to them.” A wide selection of meat products are available (including frog and veal head), as well as pre-marinated meats for quick meals.
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The market’s Facebook page is filled with mouthwatering photos of breads and sweets from across the Middle East–everything from Bosnian and Iraqi flatbreads to delicious baklava, which taste at least as good as they look.
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Super Green Market is open late during Ramadan, which begins in early June, to accommodate shoppers after community prayers. During this holiest month for Muslims, gatherings and meals are held after breaking the fast at sundown. There are myriad specials during Ramadan, including savory pies, breads and sweets from the bakery.
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Super Green Market has quickly become a community cornerstone for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Jabbar also partners with the nearby Masjid At-Tawheed on East Paris to fulfill food vouchers for the mosque’s food pantry. Dr. Ali Metwalli, a leader at the mosque, says that the food program serves a majority of non-muslims, and provides additional assistance to refugees from places as diverse as Somalia, Afghanistan and Syria.
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Hours:
nMon – Sat: 9am – 10pm
nSun: 9am – 8pm
