Word On The Street: How An Olympian Keeps Running

Boubacar Diallo momentarily locked up his furniture store Tuesday morning to run across the street to make a deposit at New Haven Bank. He’d be right back to try to keep commerce flowing on Whalley Avenue.

Diallo knows about running. He ran the 100-meter competition representing his native Senegal in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He ran the 200-meter in the 1983 world championships in Helsinki, and the 400-meter at the 1984 L.A. Olympics.

Now 58, Diallo has shifted to long-distance running — running a storefront furniture business. That has required some fancy footwork and pivots.

Diallo settled in New Haven with his wife in 2000 after first visiting here as an official with the Senegalese team in the 1995 Special Olympics. He at first ran his furniture store out of a commercial building on Chapel Street between Church and Orange. That building burned down in December 2007; Diallo’s insurance covered only $150,000 of his $275,000 in losses.

He reopened New Haven Furniture Plus in a smaller storefront at 296 Whalley Ave. near the intersection of Sherman. The monthly rent dropped from $6,000 to under $2,000, he said. But he was still finding it tough drawing in enough customers. It didn’t help when a would-be robber shot him in the store.

It didn’t stop him, either.

“After two years it was not working the way we want. We said, ​‘OK let’s do more stuff the community needs,’” Diallo said during a conversation on the ​“Word on the Street” segment of WNHH FM’s ​“LoveBabz LoveTalk” program. So in addition to selling curtains and rods and living room and dining room sets, New Haven Furniture features cell phones, monthly phone plans, and home cleaning products.

And he has survived running the long business race. He remained open during Covid, but that was tough. Diallo said this time of year is especially tough because it’s tax season, and his clientele — many of them low-income — are especially short on cash. So he put up a special ​“tax season” deal sign in the window for multi-room furniture sets starting at $1,200.

As Diallo kept his business going in his Whalley location, his former downtown Chapel block remained a surface lot for 14 years. Finally, a crew was back at work Tuesday constructing a long-promised new commercial and residential building there.

Diallo set off across Whalley to make his deposit, then return back to keeping the lights on during tax season. When the downtown construction crew finishes its work, don’t count on the rent there to fit in New Haven Furniture’s range. Do count on Diallo remaining on track.

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Click here and see below for previous ​“Word on the Street” episodes and write-ups.

Word On The Street: The Gig Cycle Spin
Word On The Street: Dumped Trash Disappears
Word On The Street: Job Interview Awaits
Word On The Street: Callaghan Suits Up
Officer McKernan Refuels For Double Duty
Word On The Street: Fred Keeps Moving
Word On The Street: Mimosa Mania
Word On The Street: Terry Hands Over The Brakes
Safety Hunter Keeps Eye On The Rising Tiers
Leather’s Grandson Returns To The Soil
Jorge Opens A Door
Word On The Street: Dad Awaits The Call
Word On The Street: Bridgette Beats The Sun
Word On The Street:​“Blessed,” & Ready For Busy Barber Season
The Word On Brownell Street: Call Luciano
Nana Readies Leaf Bag #32
Word On The Street: Groom Plans Hectic Holiday, Needs Car Back
The Word On Garden Street: Turkey Times Two
Dr. J Clears The Way
Estelita Makes The Journey Back Home
Butts, Burger King Wrappers Vanish At Wendy’s Drive-Thru
Skateboard J Does A 360
Word On The Street: The Banana Vote Emerges
Word On The Street: Sprinkler Heads
Word On Orchard Street: Cheap Gas
Word On The Street: Keep On Truckin’
Martin Readies 1 Last Bridge To Nature
Word on the Street: Call Her​“Queen”
Word on the Street: Coach Lance Called It
Word On Dixwell: Scooter Saves Gas
Budding Architect’s Word On The Street: New Haven’s More Laid Back Than Hong Kong
Word On Street:​“Smell Good In Your Hood”
Blood (Pressure) Talk Comes To Barber’s Chair
Word On Street: Rizzo Can Stand The Heat
The Tomato Plot Thickens
Without Illusions, Lamont Stewart Makes The Most Of His Morning Walk
Pro-Punk Poet Prof Starts Summer Stretch
Barista Soaks Up New Hometown Flavor
Word On The Street: Park Pre-Work Workout Sets The Tone Homeless, & Working Exit 5 
Aldo Salazar Does The Circuit
Brisa Mendoza STEMs The Graduation Tide
Timmy Turner Takes The Long View
Bike To Work Week Pulls Up To State Street Station
He’s Making Sure Soldiers Won’t Be Forgotten
Legion Ave. Rite Aid Closing; Actor Bummed
Word On Church St.: Drugs Are Everywhere
Indoor​“Sunrise” Breakfasts Resume For The Hungry & The Homeless 
​“VillaFame” Has Designs On The World
Cherry Trees & NFTs Blossom In Wooster Square
9th Square Grows On New New Havener
Warbler Watcher Waits In The Woods
Reggie Gibson Makes A Clean Sweep
Sorry, Wooster Street: This New New Havener Has His Eye On Whalley Pie
Demons Stalk Methadone Run
Surveyor Bundles Up
Grandpa Boyd’s Toes Froze
Jay Jordan Shows Up Early For First Day At Mickey D’s
Track Champ Sets Sights On Firehouse
Can Collector Seeks Redemption
Reborn Stetson Library Opens Its Doors
Mom Prays To Pause Violence
Commuter Rolls With Switch To Train
Word on the Street: Math
Word At The Barber Shop: Ukraine Needs Our Help
Word On The Street: Pain At The Pump
Hamden’s Female Leadership Team Marks International Women’s Day
Taylor Picks Up Her Step
Wednesday’s Word on Grand:​“Survival”
Turbocharged Community Soup Kitchen Plans Return To Indoor Dining
Prof On Track To Put Pain Behind Him
Word on The Street: New Beginnings
Lyric Hall Goes With The Flow
1 Valentine’s Day Later, Love Survives
Budget Airline Celebrates 100 Days At Tweed
Bobby’s Not Snitching »Grill Goes Cold After Inspector’s Visit
(Waste)Water St. Report: Omicron Still Fading
Word On The Street: Love Rides On Metro-North
Strolls Keep Soulmates On Life’s Path »Word on the Street: Where’s There’s Smoke …
Dude, Where’s His Car?
Word On The Street:​“Level Up”
Word On The Street: Paying Rent, Staying Safe
Word On The Street: Brrrr!
Word On The Street: Caffeine
Word On The Street: 10 AM Georgia Hots