Fully stocked shelves and freshly delivered pallets line the sunlit floor at Yumbrosia Fine Foods, as 45-year-old Saravanan Periyasamy, better known as Sammy, prepares to re-open the Oak Bay grocer and deli Monday (Aug. 15).

His second daughter Kaniska, 14, helps organize the products and answers the same phone late owner Ihsan Askar did until his sudden death in December 2021. PeriyasamyB次元官网网址檚 wife Mythili, 43, usually shows up around 3 p.m. after getting off work at Aberdeen Hospital.

Hailing from Namakkal in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, largely a food-producing community, Periyasamy ran a bakery and confectionery from his home from age 18. He eventually settled in Esquimalt with his family after first immigrating to Whitehorse to work in the pizza business, then shifting to Calgary for four or five years.

B次元官网网址淭hen I came for a visit into Victoria B次元官网网址� I loved that place,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hen I decided, in the future of my kids, they also wanted to stay. They donB次元官网网址檛 want to go anywhere else.B次元官网网址�

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Two and a half years ago, the family purchased La Fiesta Cafe at Douglas and Broughton streets, which shut down for three months during the pandemic and eventually closed.

After selling the Mexican food cafe, Periyasamy set his sights on Yumbrosia.

B次元官网网址淚 got into the store (and) saw a lot of unique foods, so I loved it. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why I donB次元官网网址檛 want to change anything. No (new) name or phone number. I just try to follow (Askar).B次元官网网址�

Periyasamy and his family got rid of any expired products and donated fresher items to the Mustard Seed Food Bank. B次元官网网址淗e couldB次元官网网址檝e gone to buy the cheap foods or whatever it is, but he went with something unique,B次元官网网址� he said, noting the business carries almost 60 varieties of pasta alone.

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Periyasamy plans to add some southern Indian snacks to the selection, but plans to keep the focus on AskarB次元官网网址檚 variety of European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern products.

HeB次元官网网址檚 looking to hire more staff once he gets a sense of how busy the store is B次元官网网址� prospective employees dropped off resumes as soon as he started rearranging the place. As well, the family hopes to eventually move in to the residence above the store.

Though Kaniska joked that getting the business ready has proven to be a lot of work, her father reasoned that itB次元官网网址檒l be awesome to have it open to the community once again.

B次元官网网址淓veryone knows in this neighbourhood that thereB次元官网网址檚 a corner store here,B次元官网网址� he said, adding, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty good business B次元官网网址� awesome neighbours.B次元官网网址�

Do you have a story tip? Email: evert.lindquist@blackpress.ca.

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