Ronnie Singh hopes to change the way people think about convenience stores.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Singh and his wife, Michelle, opened Kent Mini Mart, 402 W. Meeker St., about six months ago. The store had previously been Butchie’s Mini Mart.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
With nearly 17 years in the convenience store business, Singh decided to purchase the store after seeing it was for sale. The Singhs live in Federal Way and own a gas station\/convenience store in Puyallup, but Ronnie Singh said he has always wanted to open a business in Kent.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“I used to live in Kent a long time ago,” he said. “I used to manage a 7-Eleven at that time. … We saw it as a good area. It is a good spot to open a business.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Singh hopes to make Kent Mini Mart a neighborhood grocery store that serves the downtown area.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“I am trying to build this grocery store as my customers like it, around the neighborhood,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kent Mini Mart sells soft drinks and snack food that are typically found in a convenience store, but also offers health drinks, micro beers and wine.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The store carries a selection of frozen organic meats and plans to offer produce.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
While the store is not an ethnic grocer, it does carry a variety of international products.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Singh tries to support small businesses, so he sells locally made sandwiches and naan, Indian flatbread.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
He plans to create a spice wall in his store and educate customers about the health benefits of spices.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“I just want to let people know there are small, small things, benefits of turmeric, cardamon and anise leaves,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Growing up in a small Indian village, Singh learned about spices from his family.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“Knowledge is meant to be shared, and I want to share that knowledge with people,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In order to succeed, Singh said he takes customer feedback seriously and caters to his clientele.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“Big stores have taken so much,” he said. “Convenience stores have lost it because they are not carrying the right kind of products. They don’t do a survey. They don’t ask their customers.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kent Mini Mart is open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekends. Singh said he plans to extend the hours to be opened until 10 p.m. during the summer.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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