Lucy Gellman Photo
Jabbour.
A little past noon, and the customers at Ninth Square Market are trickling in off Orange Street, queueing up for one of Eddie Jabura’s famous sandwiches or dropping in quickly for something they forgot to get for lunch earlier in the day. One customer wants a pack of Newports. Another person is asking about wheat bread. Jabbour, standing at attention at the counter, takes it all in with a big grin on his face.
That’s because he thinks of the market as home base now, he said in a recent interview on WNHH Radio’s “Open for Business.” A home base that he one day wants to expand.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’s taken that step forward. Jabbour arrived in the U.S. from Syria in 1989, and was immediately interested in joining the food business. Within years of immigrating to Connecticut, he owned a produce wholesale business, and then was a deli manager in Monroe. He took ownership of Ninth Square Market in April 2001.
“This is a family business — me and my wife and my kids,” he said. “It’s been okay. It’s up and down, like any business, but it’s okay. We’re making a living.”
“The neighborhood’s been up and down … now it seems better than before,” he added. “At one time, I used to have not a great feeling — now it’s much safer. I know my customers — I still have regulars for 15 years. They come here almost every day. I know their life story, their family, all the things about them … soon as I see them, I know exactly what they want.”
To hear more, click on or download the audio above. “Open for Business” is supported by Frontier. Frontier is proud to be Connecticut’s hometown provider of TV, Internet and Phone for your home and business. Their number is 1.888.Frontier and their website is frontier.com.
