A new store catering to
east African immigrants with halal meat, handmade furniture and clothing from
Turkey has opened in Kennewick.
Elias Reda and his
family opened Elias Halal and Designer Imports at 4603 W. Clearwater Ave., a
storefront tucked next to Leisure Pool & Spa and across from Winco Foods,
in a space once occupied by a locksmith.
Reda offers handmade
furniture, bedding and area rugs imported to the Tri-Cities after being
hand-selected by his mother during a visit to Turkey.
The Somali immigrant
escaped to the U.S. in the 1990s after war broke out.
He and his family found
the cost of living much more affordable in the Tri-Cities and relocated to
Kennewick a few years ago after spending decades in Seattle.
Reda has a full-time
job at a Kennewick gas station but wanted to open the store to pursue his own
dream of entrepreneurship and to offer items that he didn’t find available
locally.
The small store sells
halal beef and chicken, which is a specific cultural method of butchering the
animal preferred by Muslims.
Imported spices and
toiletries also are sold, including incense, beauty products and henna powder.
The designer import
side of the store offers full-coverage dresses and made-to-order styles using
fabric bought in Turkey.
The family also sells
leather purses and costume jewelry from Dubai.
Reda is a retailer of
h2o Wireless phone cards, which can provide inexpensive unlimited talk and text
phone plans, which he feels can be crucial for those who recently immigrated to
the U.S. and are looking for employment.
Elias Halal and
Designer Imports is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays and closed on Sundays.
Call 509-572-2431 for more information.