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By Hamza Khan
In just a few days, Commack will be home to the largest South Asian grocery store in Suffolk County.
Sanjha Bazaar is opening in the former Ace Hardware location at 2160 Jericho Turnpike, Suite B. The store will offer fresh produce, spices, frozen foods, and a Halal butcher shop, catering to a community that currently has to travel farther west for these items.
The endeavor is led by Long Island entrepreneur Mohinder Pal Singh, who owns 17 Dunkin’ and two Pizza Hut locations on the Island.
“The South Asian grocery store business has been on my mind for many, many years — specifically in Suffolk County, because currently most of these kinds of stores are in Nassau County,” said Singh, who was born in India.
While the store previously advertised it would open in “early October,” it now plans to open its doors toward the end of the month, according to a representative. A large channel letter sign was added to the storefront in recent weeks, taking the place of a “coming soon” banner.
Raza Dastgir, a Dix Hills resident, has already toured the soon-to-open grocery store. Dastgir is the co-founder and CEO of “The Halal Guide,” an online community that boasts over 110,000 followers on Instagram.
Dastgir said the store’s offerings seem comparable to large South Asian grocers in Hicksville, like Maharaja Farmer’s Market. He noted seeing fresh juice machines as well as small restaurant-style takeout options during his visit.
“It’s the little things that they’re adding in there that are going to make it a one-stop shop and very convenient for the community here,” Dastgir said.
Commack was chosen as the store’s location due to its presence in the “center” of Suffolk County, according to Singh. Sanjha Bazaar fits neatly between major roads Jericho Turnpike and Veteran’s Memorial Highway.
Although there are some South Asian grocery options in Suffolk — particularly in Selden — they are far and in between. At 19,351 square feet, Sanjha Bazaar stands out among them in size.
“I go to Hicksville maybe three, four times a week,” Dastgir said. “And sometimes it’s not because I want to – sometimes it’s because I have to.”
Singh had leased the property early this year, joining the existing co-tenants PetSmart and Applebee’s. While he did not provide a fixed date for the store’s opening, Singh said he is “working on opening as soon as possible.”
With anticipation continuing to build, Singh emphasized that Sanjha Bazaar will welcome communities from across Long Island and beyond.
“Our goal is to give the communities a very new and unique experience in South Asian foods and, at the same time, keep the needs of all people in mind,” Singh said.
— Hamza Khan is a freelance journalist based on Long Island. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Binghamton’s WICZ FOX 40.
Top photo: Exterior of the new Sanjha Bazaar coming to Commack. (Courtesy)
