October 21, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard International Grocer, a market specializing in international foods and halal meat, is moving into 1,733 square feet of the Long Reach Village Center, as part of the Long Reach Rising Revitalization project led by Howard County. Owner, Monzurul Islam, formerly lived in the Long Reach neighborhood, and has family still in the area. Mr. Islam has three other retail locations and a wholesale distribution business in Prince George’s County. The Howard International Grocer will sell fresh meat and fish, frozen meat and fish, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, milk, eggs, snacks, and more.
“We’re so pleased to see a locally-run family business open a new international market at our Long Reach Village Center,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “Thank you to the Howard International Grocer for investing in Long Reach and providing a new option in fresh and diverse ethnic foods to this community. For far too long the Long Reach Village Center was dormant, but in the past 10 months, we have added a diverse group of businesses and services to revitalize and reinvigorate this space, encouraging community engagement and becoming a central hub for the Long Reach neighborhood."
"I am thrilled that the Long Reach Village Center will now have an international grocer to add to the diverse and exciting slate of businesses for our residents,” said Opel Jones, District 2 Council Member. “This is another wonderful step towards rejuvenating our Village Center as it becomes a unique central hub for our neighborhood.”
In the past year, more than 45,000 square feet of office and retail space has been leased, including 25,000 sq ft of the space that previously housed Safeway. The Village Center was built in the late 1970s and was designed to meet a variety of residential, office and commercial needs. The Long Reach Rising goal is to help stabilize the area through maintenance, repair, beautification, and placemaking. Howard International Grocer joins Blooming Hope Dominican Salon, Roving Radish, Manneq Art, Head Start, Every Kid Can Cook, Roll Up N Dye, the Columbia Arts Center, the Stonehouse Community Center, the African Art Museum of Maryland, and new Howard County Arts Council artists’ studios, as part of the emerging arts, culture, and entrepreneurship hub.
