I'm not sure we fully appreciate all that corner stores mean to those of us who live or have lived in the hood. Even as teachers, if we're paying attention, we may notice their importance to our students as empirically evidenced by those little black bags. Every morning.
They're convenient. They're open. They offer variety. They're family. They're there, sometimes serving as the substitute for larger supermarkets. Some open super early (49th & Woodland), stay open later than others (Hook Road in Darby Township) and even 24-hours (Island Rd. & Woodland Ave). I've frequented and have lived in areas of Philly where there are none within reasonable walking distance--like--on the corner.😕 In other areas of the city you can quite literally find several corner stores within a block or two in one direction or another. Some are even directly across the street from another one.
There is one corner store that I've frequented for 24 years, Bahal's Food Market at 6th and Walnut in Darby, PA. I've tweeted about them in the past.
For 20 years, our church was at 5th & Walnut just down the street. That's how we all became acquainted. We all went to "Baha's." During a visit this past week, Bah or Baha, as many of us affectionately called him, told me and another brother in the store that the store was being sold, that they were turning over the keys at 10am on Thursday.
Gut. Punch.
I posted about their departure on my personal family & friends socials where most of us know Bah. Our reactions tell you everything you need to know about what he, his wife, their family and corner store meant to us.
Today, I slid through one last time. It is unlikely that I'll make the short drive across the county line to support the new owners. I supported Bah, his wife and family because they're Black. This was a Black-owned corner store in Darby just outside of Southwest Philly.
I got my turkey on kaiser then left them my phone number. I told Mrs. Bah that I posted about their leaving on social media and that my fam and friends were not at all happy. She replied, "We're not at all happy either." Wow, plot twist. I had more questions. So they're not retiring--willingly? What happened? Is this a harbinger of things to come for Darby? I was surrounded by the students of Walnut Street Elementary School, as it was the after school rush, so I couldn't ask my questions. I have to wonder, how many of those students know that when they come for their after-school snacks on Thursday, Bah and his wife won't be there?
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