The first South Asian grocery store in Bradford was established by Syed Ghulam Hussain Shah, locally known as ‘Glassy Shah sahib’, during World War II. Ghulam Hussain Shah was from the village of Kot Qandu Khan near Chakswari, Mirpur. Operating from his home and offices, Shah Sahib provided essential Asian groceries and halal chicken to the growing South Asian community in the city.
At the time, there were limited options for South Asian foods in Bradford, leading Shah Sahib to source goods from Abdullah Saith, a fellow entrepreneur with a grocery business in London. Shah Sahib would order items from Saith and sell them from his home, meeting the community’s demand for familiar ingredients.
In June 1950, Shah Sahib was issued a halal meat license, the first in Bradford, marking an important milestone in his business. By then, approximately 1,500 South Asians had settled in Bradford, many of whom supported his petition for the license. This license allowed Shah Sahib to expand his offerings to include halal meat, further serving the dietary needs of the community.
As his business grew, other Asian grocery stores also began to open, including one run by Hakim Khan, who moved from Sheffield to Bradford after Shah Sahib had established his shop. Shah Sahib’s grocery and meat shop played a pivotal role in the early history of South Asian businesses in Bradford.