International grocers spice up Oakland

Pitt’s international programs don’t just offer students unique experiences, they expose… Pitt’s international programs don’t just offer students unique experiences, they expose participants to new foods. Upon returning to Oakland, fine dining at cultural restaurants simply does not suffice.

Recipes need ingredients, and stores need to provide them.

Didar Singh answered his customers’ demands by opening Bombay Mart right next door to his restaurant India Garden on Atwood Street.

“Customers asked for a neat and clean Indian store,” said Singh, who aims to provide Indian brand-name foods ready to eat or easy to prepare. Bombay Mart mostly stocks food, but also sells Indian jewelry, DVDs, CDs and magazines.

“Soon we will be selling some Indian clothes, too,” Singh said, “and that will bring in more business from the Indian community.”

Georgia Petropoulos, executive director of Oakland Business Improvement District, explained why Oakland has so many opportunities for international cuisine.

“We have international grocery stores because Oakland is international,” Petropoulos said

Bombay Mart, Super Oriental, Salem’s Halal Meats, Groceria Merante and Vera Cruz are a few of the grocery stores on the extensive list of cultural dining choices within Oakland.

“Our organization is very cognizant that diversity is good for business,” Petropoulos added. “We encourage consumers to support independent retailers.”

Groceria Merante Italian food market on Bates Street has provided Oakland with every kind of pasta, oil, cheese and sausage for 26 years. Opened two generations ago when Pasquale Merante emigrated from Italy, the Merante family provides Italian-imported foods.

Current owners Julia and Filomena Merante maintain the store’s authenticity with pasta imported directly from Italy, more than 40 varieties of oil and 74-year-old Uncle Salvatore’s homemade sausage.

The sisters take a different approach to advertising. Instead of the usual promoting methods, they periodically offer free samples of food made with their ingredients.

“Our funnest things are eating and cooking,” Filomena Merante said. “People who try our food give the best word of mouth.”

Without generations of reputation, new grocery stores in Oakland struggle to build a clientele. Heriberto Hernandez opened Vera Cruz because Oakland lacked a Mexican food mart.

“The first year no one knew about us,” Hernandez said. “So my friend who works at the Latino radio station advertised.”

Vera Cruz draws customers primarily from Pittsburgh’s Mexican community. Students who have studied in Spanish-speaking countries also shop there to practice speaking with the employees and to cook dishes they enjoyed abroad.

Just up the street from Vera Cruz, Chong Kim faces similar difficulties. Disappointed that Dae Han Oriental Food, an Asian grocery store, recently closed, he decided to open Super Oriental.

As owner of Ginza’s Japanese Restaurant for seven years, Kim learned what foods students like best. At Super Oriental, he supplies over 40 kinds of noodles alongside a freezer full of sushi ingredients.

“We have very savvy business owners because students are savvy,” Petropoulous said. “They’ve been trained to expect high-quality products and we’ve met that demand.”