Sam’s Mini Mart, 462 Genesee St, Rochester, NY

Phone: 235-1570. 

Owner:Samhan Algabri.

Hours: 7 AM- 11 PM, 7 days.

Comments:  Samhan has owned the the business since the end of 2005 and it has been a convenience store for over 35 years.  Has ATM and lottery sales.  Features snacks, beverages, fresh coffee, milk, eggs, cold cuts.  Students from across the street at Wilson are customers, as well as local residents.  Samhan said they have a little bit of a problem sometimes with kids, and they call 911.  Problems used to be worse.  If they are seen doing anything illegal they are told they may not come into the store.  There is a CCTV with tapes stored for 48 hours.
The store is on the east side of Genesee At the intersection of Hawley.  There is ample parking in the parking lot in front of the store.  Samhan has made an effort to improve the outside with flower and shrub plantings.  Daffodils and tulips, and several clematis which were getting ready to bloom. 

As you walk in the door there is a checkout counter on your right that extends to the back of the store.  Three aisles run from the checkout counter on the south end of the building to a bank of 8 coolers along the north end.

Mark interviewed Samhan Algabri to find out about the store.  The Sale of drinks and food is going well but clothing and hair product sales has dropped off a lot since a clothing store opened up north of here.

Samhan came here from Yemen in 1995, to California first where he had friends.  Still has family back home.  Came to Rochester because he had a friend here who gave him a job.  He said it is like family in the area as he has come to know his customers.    

Along the east wall is and freezer with icecream and a coffee maker and microwave. The east aisle leads past stacks 2 liter pop, paper products and laundry supplies to the 8 coolers on the north wall.

The first 3 coolers have beer. The 4th has cold-cuts, microwaveable sandwiches, eggs and milk.

After cooler 4 with the cold-cuts, eggs and milk, coolers 5 through 8 have juices, fruit drinks and pop.

The middle aisle has canned goods, rice and pasta.  The front aisle has cereal, sugar, flour, sirups, and another cooler with fruit drinks.

(Interesting side note – a co-worker said he saw Mark at the store. He goes to this store rather than one closer to where he lives because of the good conditions here.)