BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Inside Apon Supermarket on Friday morning, co-owners Mohammad Ismeil and Arman Hossein were packing, stocking up, and rolling out a brand-new grocery store in Buffalo's Broadway-Bailey neighborhood.
"We're feeling excited to get an opening tomorrow," Hossein said.
Opening day will be personal for Ismeil who lives right near the store. He used to shop at the Rite Aid at Boadway and Bailey but it shut down last year.
"So now we don't have nothing. This neighborhood doesn't even have anything. Anywhere to go," he said.
Ismeil said wanted a better option for his community. When he saw that Dollar Tree moved out of the Broadway building — he called the property owner.
"And he was like, 'Oh we have available but we're talking to someone but what do you want to do,' I was like, 'I want to open a supermarket,'" he explained. "We want to help the community that's what our main goal is."
That goal — to help neighbors like MD Rahman.
"I like this — this walking distance from my house," Rahman said.
Before opening day, Rahman stopped by to see the wide selection of groceries.
"I am very happy to see this supermarket here," he said.
From fresh produce to toiletries and everything in between, there's a lot that this 14,000 sq. ft. store has to offer — all at reasonable prices.
Fillmore District Council member Mitch Nowakowski — who represents this neighborhood — said this store will help tackle the issue of food deserts on the East Side.
"A lot of the folks here are walkers and so they'll be able to walk to an actual supermarket in their own neighborhood," Nowakowski said. "You see really a neighborhood struggling now a supermarket will be able to address a lot of their needs."
Nowakowski said he feels this supermarket will be a turning point in the neighborhood.
"Everybody is excited. Everybody is happy to open a store, you know, be supportive of the community and we need the community's support as well," Ismeil said.
The store opens at 12 p.m. on March 2nd. It's located at 1370 Broadway.
