The Signal, CA
April 7 2006
Bringing Home a Bit of the Middle East
Only open less than a month, Hayk International Market already
expects growth.
4/7/2006
Adam Clark / Signal Staff Writer
For Zohrab Getikian, opening a Middle Eastern grocery store in
Valencia was more a matter of practicality than a desired career
choice. He simply became tired of driving to the San Fernando Valley
for groceries, he said. And he wasn’t about to stop eating the food
he was raised on.
`You can’t escape it,’ Getikian said with a smile. `I tried to
get other people to do it, but no one did, so I finally opened the
store myself.’
Thus, Hayk International Market was born. Whether it’s Armenian,
Assyrian, Greek or any other sort of Middle Eastern cuisine, the
store has something for everyone, Getikian said.
Stocking unique items such as Armenian wines, Middle Eastern
pastries and Russian chocolates are some of the things Getikian is
proud.
`You can’t get a lot of this stuff anywhere else in Santa
Clarita,’ he said. `We even have marinated shish kabobs that you
can’t find (around here).’
Having been open less than a month, the store is already starting
to experience growing pains, Getikian said.
`I don’t think there is necessarily enough people for a second
store,’ he said. `But expanding this one would be a possibility.’
The bakery, produce and meat sections will be the first to
expand, he said.
The market is also beginning to generate buzz among ethnic
communities.
`We have a lot of new people coming in,’ he said. `And not just
from advertising, but from word of mouth.’
`I’m not just trying to reach Armenians or Assyrians,’ he said.
`I’m also trying to concentrate on the American market.’
For Getikian, this means getting Americans interested in ethnic
foods, rather than stocking American items.
Mostly though, the store is about meeting a need.
`It was hard to get exact demographics, but looking at this
community I knew that there was a need for it,’ Getikian said. `Hayk
International Market offers one-stop shopping for all Mediterranean,
Armenian (and) Middle Eastern food lovers.’
Hayk International Market is located at 23310 Cinema Drive in
Valencia.
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