Neeli Malik
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100 Days of Groceries - Original 2020 Photoblog

100 Days of Groceries is a photography project, exploring the aesthetics of buying groceries, documenting mostly independently owned stores in which people can buy food; greengrocers, corner shops, newsagents, markets, butchers, bakeries, fishmongers, etc. Each post will document a different establishment. Some of the photographs are taken in passing, but some of them I visited specifically. Some documentations will be accompanied by text, either conversational interviews with the workers in the shops, or simply my own observations of the shop at the time. Read more about the project here.

Euro Supermarket (May 2020)

Euro Supermarket (The Yellow Shop), College Road, Kensal Green, London, May 2020


Euro Supermarket (otherwise known as Eurofoods, or ‘The Yellow Shop’) is run by Ali and his dad. Two doors down is The Kensal Store, run by Ali’s brothers Rahil and Ahmad. Ali explains:

“The whole idea was that we were trying to offer everything that was needed in the community. So, on this parade, you’ll have your wholefoods store there, and then your express store here. So ‘Tesco Express’ here and then your ‘Planet Organic’ next door. There’s not competition between us at all, we’re completely different entities. We don’t do fruit and veg here anymore, but we do it next door. They’ve got their organic, fresh produces, whereas this store, we’ve all your packages, you know, your pastas, and this that and the other. Quick, easy, frozen takeaways, all that.

My dad came here in 2000, so we were a small corner shop. ‘Yellow Shop’ – I don’t know if you remember the name Yellow Shop. It was called ‘Eurofoods’ but it was a bright yellow corner store. In 2005 he bought the shop next door and then we expanded it, and then we became ‘Euro Supermarket’, and then after that we bought the post office in 2015. So, over the years it’s getting bigger and bigger.

And then in 2020, the place two doors down used to be the William Hill betting place, we remade that into The Kensal Store [the organic wholefoods store]. That’s what everyone wanted as well, because, well, I came here when I was 17. I’m 29 now so I’ve been here twelve years myself, and basically, everyone used to go on “Oh, we need an organic place, we want this, we want this”. I know Mohamad does it down the road. But they wanted a ‘Planet Organic’ style independent store. So, when this opportunity came up, we thought, yeah let’s do it, let’s see what happens.”

I asked Ali what he likes about working here:
“Just, the community vibe around here, man. Compared to where I live – I live in Neasden. So, everyone’s very self-centred, while here people are very friendly, they’ll talk to you, they’ll say hello. Even if it’s just stranger, you say hello to them, at least they say hello back. You don’t get that in many other areas. Everyone looks out for each other around here, and you get that proper community spirit, whereas where I come from you don’t feel that. Honest to God I just don’t feel a community vibe, or, everyone’s too themselves, in their own houses. At least here people socialize. Also, with the pub across the road, you don’t get the troublemakers, people just go in there, have a drink, have a laugh, and go home. Do you remember when the Buccaneer was across the road? The Island pub used to be known as the Buccaneer, and that used to be a punch-up pub, but touch wood it’s all good now.

This road has a really nice community feel, you’ve got the Scout’s down the road, and then they come have a drink at the pub, there’s the library, and they come here to do a bit of shopping.  Everyone supports the local as well, even Mohamad as well, and the Patel’s shop across the road from him, everyone supports each other as much as they can. We all look out for each other. We don’t feel like a competition vibe around here. Everyone just done their own unique business.”

We talked about what his hopes and plans for the future are: “Really, I’m comfortable where I am right now. I hope it stays like this. I’m actually really comfortable doing what I’m doing. I really like the area a lot. I grew up around here. I used to come here on the weekends, the half-terms, with my dad, when I was eight years old, so people have known me around here for so many years. I’m sure people will know if you ask them if you know Ali from the corner shop. So, there’s nothing really that I want to change. I’m just gonna stay put and run this business and live a comfortable life.”

Ali says he hopes people continue to support the local businesses, and that he hopes local businesses can, in turn, help people in their time of need. 

Neeli Malik