- Video shows Merhawi Kahsay's store in Council Bluffs, new store in north Omaha and liquor products sold in his discount store.
- LaGhe Andrews, born and raised in north Omaha shares the positive impact the store could have on the community, if the store owner collboartes with neighbors.
- Merhawi Kahsay, the store owner of Weini's Market coming to north Omaha and his attorney, Lindsey Schuler, declined to speak with me regarding the needs of neighbors.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Melissa Wright, in north Omaha where I told you weeks ago about a potential grocery store that will also sell liquor coming to this area.
Now the store has officially been approved and one neighbor I spoke to says this could be an opportunity to highlight local business owner and offer healthier eating in the area. LaGhe Andrews, born and raised in north Omaha says she's familiar with having to drive the distance for decent food.
“I think that having more health options that are closer to you especially in this area would be a blessing for them.” said Andrews.
Andrews has been vegan for five years. She says, she loves to shop locally when she can but also going to Whole Foods is where she finds a lot of vegan food options.
“We want to make sure that if the store is coming here, you have the option you're being shown different ways that you can eat different ways that you can drink or actually really as good as you know the things that you're used to eating just," said Andrews.
She says the store opening could help local business owners if the store owner, Merhawi Kahsay communicates with the community.
“If he asked how he could help the community more with his store…’ I’d say incorporate the community more.’” said Andrews.
Andrews says, Kahsay collaborating with the community and bringing in natural products sourced by local entrepreneurs could benefit both him and neighbors.
“A lot of stores they already have soaps, but you can't pronounce half the stuff that's on the back of those. So you don't know what's going into your skin, you don't know what's going into your bloodstream, providing things like that...fighting more health will get people to come back.” said Andrews.
Weini's Market owned by Kashay now has a Class D Liquor license allowing the store to sell beer, wine and spirits. But is not allowed to sell single beers of 32 ounces or less or spirits under 374 milliliters.
When I spoke to Kahsay a month ago, he said his vision for the store included.
“Meat, fruit, canned fruit, chips… whatever. Whatever you call it grocery," said Kahsay.
On Tuesday, I reached out to Kahsay and his attorney Linsey Schuler to share what neighbors would like to see come the store opening, both Kahsay and Schuler declined to comment on the matter.
The story owner Merhawi Kasha plans to open Weini's Market at the Fair Deal Village in the next north Omaha, I’m Melissa Wright.
