MADISON, Wis. — Gooh Grocery just opened on Washington Avenue on Madison’s east side.

What You Need To Know

  • Gooh Grocery is now open on Washington Avenue

  • The store features a wide variety of African and Southeast Asian products, plus staples like milk, bread and eggs

  • It's located in an area that was previously designated a food desert because of the lack of access to quality, fresh food

  • Owners say if a customer doesn't see an item they want, they'll work hard to source it

Owners Samba Baldeh and Jerreh Kujabi said the name symbolizes their goal for the store.

“Gooh in the Fulani language, means number one, striving to be the best, basically,” Baldeh said.

Baldeh and Kujabi are both from Gambia. They met as students at Madison Area Technical College 20 years ago.

Baldeh is in his second term as a Wisconsin State Representative, and Kujabi works for the Sun Prairie School District. They both noticed a lack of ethnic cuisine in the area, despite diverse residents.

“When I want to have product from my part of the world, I have to trek across town to get it,” Kujabi said. “So, there is a need for it.”

Their store features a wide variety of West African and Southeast Asian products, plus staples like milk, bread and eggs. They plan to add a deli counter.

“Anything that we can find local to try as much as possible to support the local economy is what we are all about,” Kujabi said.

Their goal is to boost health and quality of life for people in the neighborhood, who don’t have as easy access to fresh food. They’ve also made the choice not to sell any alcohol or cigarettes.

“We think this is a way to help our communities be healthier, and then be more productive,” Baldeh said. “When people are healthy, they can work longer, live longer, and all that kind of stuff.”

Renovating the second floor of the building to create four apartments over the grocery store is their way of adding some affordable housing as well.

“We have people from different parts of the world that live [in this neighborhood],” Kujabi said. “We talked to them when we initially started mulling over the idea of this project and understanding their needs and catering to them.”

They’re encouraging customers to stop in for their grocery needs. If shoppers don’t see something they want, Kujabi and Baldeh said they’ll work to source it for them.

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