Indian grocery chain Patel Brothers looks to expand in Canton

Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read
16

Canton shoppers may soon have new options for Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Patel Brothers, a nationwide Indian grocery chain, is in talks with township officials to open a new location.

Opened in 1974 by brothers, the grocery chain owns more than 50 locations across the U.S. In Michigan. Patel Brothers operate four locations, in Ann Arbor, Troy, Farmington Hills and Garden City.

The company provides a variety of products meant to demonstrate the owners' cultural heritage and diversity across India, according to its website. The business began as Indian immigrants experienced a lack of access to Indian culinary products in the U.S., and the Patel family said they stepped in to fill that gap.

"We hope to continue to educate and expose new generations to the regional diversity of India and the richness of our culture and our food," the website states.

A rendering from documents published by the Canton Township Planning Commission shows the Patel Brothers grocery store proposed at 6310 North Canton Center Road.
A rendering from documents published by the Canton Township Planning Commission shows the Patel Brothers grocery store proposed at 6310 North Canton Center Road.

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Canton, a suburb west of Detroit, features a 19.5% Asian population, including a sizeable Indian American community, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The township features a variety of businesses catering to the community, including Indian grocers and restaurants, as well as cultural institutions.

A new addition may soon join these businesses, as Patel Brothers works with officials on its plan for a new store in Canton. The proposed location would be at 6130 North Canton Center, replacing a former Canton Computers store, now permanently closed. The current building would be demolished to make way for the new store.

A Patel Brothers grocery store is proposed at 6310 North Canton Center Road in Canton at the former site of Canton Computer.
A Patel Brothers grocery store is proposed at 6310 North Canton Center Road in Canton at the former site of Canton Computer.

The proposal to bring Patel Brothers to Canton began with an application presented to the Canton Planning Services Division, reviewed by the division, and then added to the Planning Commission agenda for a Nov. 14, 2022, special meeting.

The planning commission then took up the application as a new business item during its Jan. 11 meeting, according to the meeting agenda. Officials described the proposal and recommended changes, voting to move forward with the proposal.

The next steps include adjusting the plan's lighting, driveway traffic flow, landscaping, and exterior wall design in compliance with township ordinances, before bringing the proposal before the Canton Board of Trustees for approval. A timeline for the next steps in the process remains unclear.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Indian grocery store looks to expand in Canton