A&Y Global Market

The place has a reasonable selection and defiantly the best middle easter and indian selection in the downtown area. They have a good prepared foods selection of olives, bkalava, cheeses and the like up at the counter. The best part though is the young guy who works there (maybe he is an owner, he’s always there). He is super personable and always makes us feel good when we check out. I feel like he should be some sort of community organizer. The older guy is more stoic. They also have a neat selection of hookahs, islamic furniture (small tables), and other various goods of the sort.

The store is well stocked and carries variety of food from different countries. However the guy often charges approximately 50 cents more than what is the listed price on many items, this has happened to me three times and I know at least two other people who have had similiar experience. One time when I asked him he said well I forgot to change the price! Also many items are not priced so I guess he can price them as he wishes. I still go there but watch him closely when he is ringing up my purchases.

The store is moderately well stocked with a smattering of Indian goods, but the owner (while not anywhere near being as described in the frankly unbelievable diatribe posted elsewhere) was rude over the phone when I called to ask what atta he carries.
I am partially disabled and do not drive, so before I trouble someone for a ride to the store, I would like to know if they actually have the main item I am looking for. I didn’t ask about anything else, only the chapati flour, and my only question was what brand he carried. He named 2 then couldn’t remember the 3^rd. So I merely asked if he knew WHICH Golden Temple flour he was carrying — asking the color of the package, which would tell me all I needed to know. A few steps and he could have answered my question, not having to get any closer than just to see the color of the packaging.
He became short tempered –actually full-​out angry, and shouting — and accused me of wasting his time with no intent to buy. Well I certainly have no intent to buy now! I can and will buy online rather than be a trouble to someone who obviously already has all the business he feels he needs.
Now had he said, «I’m sort of busy right now, could you call back later, or leave your phone number?» that would have been one thing — but to refuse to answer a simple question in such a rude manner is really not very good business practice.
If I had no intent to buy I would not have bothered to call. My intent now is to revert to the online supplier I have used in the past,
I am not in the habit of calling stores with questions frequently but my son is very busy this week, so before I troubled him for a ride, I merely wanted to be sure they had the one thing I needed the most, otherwise I would have just waited ’til he wasn’t busy to take a trip for other items on my shopping list. Now I won’t trouble him for a ride AT ALL.
I always prefer to patronize local businesses — but frankly the only reason I was looking at A & Y at all is that the one local Indian grocery, which has been in the same spot in Columbia for YEARS, is closing. If I can’t rely on getting a polite response to one simple question then I will have to look elsewhere for my staples. This guy won’t be carrying most of the fresh stuff I will need anyway, so … ishopindia thanks you, guy who sits behind the cash register and blows of customers! LOL!