Indian, Nepalese Grocery Store Opens on Madison Avenue

Tara Sharma is well aware that Lakewood’s Asian population is growing by leaps and bounds. 

That’s one of the reasons he’s opened Everest Grocery, a cozy 1,000-square-foot market on Madison Avenue, specializing in Indian and Nepalese foods.

The store offers — among other things — veggies, spices, rice, Indian imports, gift ideas and books on Hinduism. 

“We sell specialty kinds of foods,” Sharma said, with a thick accent.

He’s originally from Bhutan, but he had also lived in India and Nepal before coming to the US four years ago. 

He now makes a weekly 90-minute commute to Northeast Ohio from Pittsburgh, where he lives. After working at a grocery store in Florida, Sharma decided to open Everest Grocery.

With the city’s Asian population continually climbing, the customer base is already here.

“There’s a big Nepalese population in Lakewood, as well as in Cleveland,” Sharma said. 

According to the 2010 US Census, there are nearly 1,000 people who describe themselves as Asian living in Lakewood.

That’s a 20 percent jump from 2000. 

This isn’t the first Asian store to open in the city. The Burmese Asian Market recently opened its doors on Detroit Avenue.

Sharma said he’s ready for the customers. The only remaining tasks are erecting the new sign at the front of the building — at 14021 Madison Avenue — and finish stocking the shelves.

Everest Grocery Store is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days per week.