Shopping| Published on November 4, 2007 11:24 am

Immigrant entrepreneurs revamping Morse Road

By: Walker


The Dispatch wrote Immigrant entrepreneurs play leading roles in the next stage of the retail corridor’s future

Sunday, November 4, 2007

By Tracy Turner

The Global Mall houses 28 businesses and services, including clothing stores, a photography studio, an African foods store, a barber shop, a tailor and a jewelry-repair shop. It’s one of several businesses that have given new life to Morse Road’s retail corridor.

For Somali immigrant Abdi Aden, the empty storefronts that emerged even before the mall closed created an opportunity to open the Arran Business Center on Morse Road in 2000. Styled after traditional African markets, the building was divided into 12 spaces to house “mini-businesses” that revolved around a larger market run by Aden that sold African and Mediterranean food items.

Liborio Alcauter is another businessman who found opportunity in the Northland area’s challenges. His La Michoacana Fresh Market takes up 16,000 square feet, making it the largest in Alcauter’s growing chain of Latino food stores. About 60 percent of the products are imports from Mexico and Latin America. The store has an expanded produce aisle, in-house butcher cutting exotic meats to order and full-service restaurant. The products and services are so popular with his customer base that the store has extended its hours, remaining open until 11 p.m.

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Author: Walker Walker is the founder of ColumbusUnderground.com and co-founder of TheMetropreneur.com along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media from a hobby into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.

6 Comments

  • Walker November 9, 2007 11:20 am

    Anyone familiar with these markets? They sound pretty impressive.

  • Walker August 18, 2008 10:20 pm

    CU Meetup?

    :D

  • Columbusite August 18, 2008 11:12 pm

    You were waiting months for someone else to say that. :lol: It’s a bit far, but I’d be interested in checking out these ethnic markets. The clientele probably consists of immigrants from their respective countries. Might want to brush up on your Somali.

  • AnneD August 29, 2008 9:45 pm

    I wandered around the Global Mall when it first opened, and there wasn’t much to it at the time. I am curious about the food markets there – I haven’t been to nearly enough ethnic groceries in this town. There’s a few that I frequent but I don’t go outside of my comfort zone as much as I should.

  • Urban Knight August 29, 2008 11:53 pm

    Columbusite wrote You were waiting months for someone else to say that. :lol: It’s a bit far, but I’d be interested in checking out these ethnic markets. The clientele probably consists of immigrants from their respective countries. Might want to brush up on your Somali.

  • JonMyers August 30, 2008 1:01 am

    Great story. Should be inspiring to all. Those with more advantages and those with few.

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