Oxford teenager opens grocery and butchers named after grandad

Afraiz Sikander, an 18-year-old college student in Oxford, opened Khair Din Groceries & Butchers this month to provide a shop that he says is the first in the area offering halal meat.

While running the Risinghurst store, Mr Sikander is also in his final year studying Protective Services – a course designed for careers in the police, military or fire service – at City of Oxford College.

Not content with balancing running a new business and studying, the young entrepreneur also works at a local Co-op.

See also: Pub shut for over 30 years could become ‘a pile of bricks’

He said: “The response I’ve been getting shows the business will work, it’s a place for the local community and being from Risinghurst myself, I know what it needed.

“There wasn’t a butchers in the area so I wanted this for the community, it’s also another attraction for the business.

“The meat is cut in front of you and it’s the first halal shop in Risinghurst.”

Afraiz Sikander, 18, has opened a new grocery and butchers in Risinghurst. Picture: Ed Nix

The store is situated at the former Four Paws Cat Rescue charity shop in Roundway.

“It was a vacant charity shop before, so it was a challenge getting the shop open and it took about a month and a half,” said Mr Sikander.

“I was working day and night, while also studying and there was a lot of work that needed doing.

“I pretty much started from scratch getting everything in and there was a few things that needed doing at the front with the signage and boards.

“So far, things have been going better than expected, the local community has been showing a good response to the shop.”

Read more: Energy giant to help with demand at garden village

Mr Sikander also spoke about his future ambitions for the store.

“In time I want to add new ideas when the money gets rolling, things like selling fresh naan bread, and installing a cash point,” he said.

“At the minute, I’m doing free deliveries in the local area for customers as because of Covid, more people are staying at their homes.”

The store name is special to the teenager, who said: “The business is named after my grandad who came to the UK in the 1950s – he brought my family here so I wanted to put his name out there.”

The shop, at 8 The Roundway, is open from 9am-8pm.