TORRANCE, Calif. — The loss of small businesses is nothing new in Los Angeles, but many say the loss of cultural hubs and legacy businesses carries a particular sting.

What You Need To Know

  • The Hawthorne Market International Grocery is closing its doors after 40 years

  • The owners of the store say that their forced to close due to a major rent increase

  • According to the LA Economic Development Corporation, Los Angeles is the second-highest city to attract new small businesses and, subsequently, the second-highest city to lose them because of financial pressures

  • The loss of Hawthorne Market will leave a big hole in the community

For over 40 years, Hawthorne Market has served thousands in Torrance, providing cultural foods from Afghanistan, Iran, Greece, Bulgaria, Poland, and more. 

But in early May 2024, co-owner Saboor Hamidzadah and his siblings are closing the market doors for the final time. 

“I think it hasn’t really affected me yet because I’m in the rush of closing because we have to close ASAP,” Hamidzadah said. 

The Hamidzadah family was forced to close its doors after a major increase in rent, among other factors. On their final day, customers showed up in droves to support them. 

Saboor’s wife, Zarmina Hamidzadah, flipped through a yellow notepad left on the register. 

“We can go through pages of names and numbers of people saying we will follow you wherever you go,” she said.

Customer Carrie Ferhaoui said the loss of Hawthorne Market will leave a big hole in the community. 

“They always talk about diversity,” said Ferhaoui, “Well, we lose that. We lost the ability to choose what we want.”

The story of Hawthorne Market is one that is repeating itself across the city: the loss of mom-and-pop businesses and cultural hubs to the march of time and the forward motion of gentrification. 

According to the LA Economic Development Corporation, Los Angeles is the second-highest city to attract new small businesses and, subsequently, the second-highest city to lose them due to financial pressures. 

“There’s always been a struggle in Los Angeles to maintain these cultural centers.”

LA-based food writer Bill Esparza said that when a cultural hub is lost, a whole community goes with it. 

“Where do those people go? Well, people will go somewhere. But they will never have that center back again,” Esparza said. “It’s where they get their groceries. It’s where they catch up on what’s happening in their home countries. And so, once they disperse and the area becomes bleached, it’s gone.”

As Hamidzadah closes up the market for the final time, he is reflecting on the future and whether he’ll open another market in the future. 

“We are going to as a family do some brainstorming, if that is another possibility for us.”

They hope to carry on the cultural legacy his father started over 40 years ago.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article referenced Zarmina Hamidzadah incorrectly as “Zamira.” The article has been corrected to refer to Saboor Hamidzadah as Zarmina's husband. (May 12, 2024)