Julia Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Al-Hallal Grocery Store — a family-owned business, which offers products permitted by Islamic law — has operated out of its location at 3009 ½ Independence Ave., for the past 10 years.

Store manager Ayub Sidi said he has worked for his uncle — who owns Al-Hallal Grocery Store — since he was 15 years old. 

Sidi shared that his family chose this location to open their business because of the Northeast community’s population and the market they were looking to target, which largely includes residents from Somalia, East Africa.

His favorite aspect of working as the store manager, he said, is meeting new customers and connecting with people from different backgrounds. 

Products found at Al-Hallal Grocery Store can include anywhere from organic African chicken, frozen goat, lamb and beef meat to rice and flour — particularly semolina.

While Sidi shared that goat meat remains one of the store’s most popular products among customers, Oxtail (beef tail) is his favorite item, which Al-Hallal receives fresh from a supplier.

Of the various locations this grocery store receives its products from includes a provider in Minnesota, which Sidi said his father will travel to pick-up new shipments from about once a month.

All employees who work at Al-Hallal Grocery Store are family members including Sidi’s cousins, uncles and his father. 

The family moved to Kansas City from Somalia in April 2001; Before opening Al-Hallal, Sidi said his uncle owned his own restaurant, which introduced the family to proprietorship in Kansas City.

In addition to offering various frozen meat options, the store additionally receives a shipment of fresh goat, lamb and beef meat, every Saturday.

While Sidi said the family has considered expanding their business previously, they do plan to stay in their current location along The Avenue. However, he would like to begin incorporating delivery orders into their current business model. 

For additional information on Al-Hallal Grocery Store, visit its location at 3009 ½ Independence Ave., or call (816) 569-6208.