Nobbys Discount Store
18 Walz St, Rockdale NSW 2216
I find it’s a confrontation with existentialism when you see someone you used to go to school with out and about living a life deviating from the vanilla existence you once knew them from. Even more-so when it’s been 10+ years, but despite this trend of existentialism something inexpressible was keeping the feeling at bay on the fateful day I walked down Walz street to see my old friend Ali Jalloul outside his mini deli.
I used to think I was the funniest kid in school and maybe that was actually somewhere near the truth, that is to say until I got to high school and met Ali at which point I bid farewell to my dreams of having a career in stand-up comedy.
If every school had that one kid that lifted everyone’s mood, ours was Ali. He was well versed in whatever niche pop culture each social group subscribed to which meant he got to be everyone’s friend, which explains why so many parents of old classmates frequent his establishment.
Despite his popularity his true claim to fame was that he was the kid with the self confidence to be himself back before we lacked the life experience to differentiate the wisdom behind the concept from the clichés surrounding it. In my experience the only way to really grasp this concept is to see someone embodying it willingly. Until that happens you’re just the weird kid in school who needs their mum to tell them their stamp collection is cool enough to undo all the shame you feel behind said stamp collection…but I digress.
Though we’ve been propelled forward through time Ali’s still that funny kid whose mission in life is to brighten up the day of those surrounding him. The only difference now being that instead of his classmates it’s now his customers… one reverse robbery at a time, preferably with a sword but not limited to it.
This is where I figured out the reason behind my lack of existential confrontation: unlike the classmates that I’ve crossed paths with in the past, Ali had the wisdom to be himself from day one, so despite the time that’s passed he’s still that same person that I met.
The above paints a picture of the personality that bleeds into the mini deli grocery which is amplified through its clientele and the co-workers. They’ve taken a page from the book of Jalloul and come full circle to bring their own vibrant personalities to the establishment.
The mini deli grocery however is not without its own charm stocking a multicultural selection of foods reflective of the cultures’ in the local community. I got to witness the charm cranked to another level when a Lebanese woman entered asking for a specific brand of haloumi before the charm got cranked to maximum when Ali pulled out all the varieties of haloumi he stocks to make sure I understood that my little island of Cyprus was being represented.
Beyond the extravagant are the basic staples which I had believed were always best or at least cheapest when purchased from a chain supermarket. After all, more stock bought in bulk should mean cheaper prices which would translate to better value for the customer, right? …Wrong!
Ali gives me a lesson on the economics of legumes and I begin to understand, how despite the rise of the modern supermarket these local grocers often thrive by stocking sought after niche products while also providing better value for staple foods.
I’d love to delve into the financial lessons I learnt but then I’d be straying from the wisdom I’m trying to put forward. Something along the lines of the old school local grocery being very much alive and well. Give yours a visit and you might receive a little invigoration for the soul, BYO sword and rubber band repellent.
