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'...aggressive advertising, promotions, and then go for it. You'll be going places; generally, that's how it works.'
While the idea of starting small businesses remains a significant challenge due to stiff competition with larger, well-established stores and the lack of initial capital and operational expenses, recent workshops organised by Business Wales have been instrumental in helping mitigate some of these challenges. The B-Enterprising sector of Bangor University has been exceptionally helpful and supportive to students and graduates seeking to bring their ideas to life through startups or freelance careers.
For years, B-Enterprising has partnered with Santander Bank to provide funding opportunities for students and graduates from Bangor University, to pitch their business dreams. We are beginning to witness the emergence of small businesses in North Wales, such as Bazaar African Food Grocery in Bangor and Maggie’s African Twist in Penygroes. In an interview with Mr. Rafik Mohammed, the owner of Bazaar African Food Grocery, many insights were shared. Mr. Rafik, as he is popularly known, recalled that Bazaar has been in operation for more than three (3) years now. Originally, it was a grocery store specialising in Eastern European food items.
However, during the Brexit period, Bazaar transformed into an African food grocery store, with a few Eastern European groceries still available for sale. The demand for African food is consistently high, with most of his customers being international students at Bangor University. Mr. Rafik mentioned that summers tend to be quieter since many students go on vacations and the like. These are some of the ups and downs in the business. Bazaar has received support from the government, especially during the pandemic. Mr. Rafik is grateful to Business Wales organisations for consistently guiding them in the right direction.
The way forward for the Bazaar, according to Mr. Rafik, is to serve and deliver what the customers need to their doorsteps. Thus, there is a need for advanced internet involvement for placing orders and implementing other promotional strategies. He aims to make it easier for people to access their groceries. Mr. Rafik Mohammed advises that the first two years in business are the most challenging. The best course of action is to persevere. He stated, '...aggressive advertising, promotions, and then go for it. You'll be going places; generally, that's how it works.' We are grateful that the Bazaar has endured the test of time, and the future holds limitless potential.
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