Toowoomba African hair, grocery store Nile Shop moves to CBD

Toowoomba has a growing and thriving African migrant population, but often they will have to drive to Brisbane for supplies. Now a store has moved to cater for their needs.

Paris Mamei and Atem Jok re-open the Nile Shop in Ruthven Street supplying African cooking ingredients through to hair products and extensions. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Toowoomba’s one-stop shop for African hair products and grocery items has made the move to a massive new location in the CBD, in a bid to meet a growing demand from the city’s South Sudanese community.

Nile Shop owners Atem Jok and Paris Mamei have reopened on Ruthven Street after moving their store from the Uniplaza in Darling Heights.

With the extra space, Mr Jok said he would be able stock more items to ensure families didn’t have to drive all the way to Brisbane.

“Before us, there was no one who would sell this in Toowoomba — they would have to go to Morooka in Brisbane,” he said.

“We started at the Uniplaza two years ago, so this will be our third year in Toowoomba.”

Paris Mamei and Atem Jok move the Nile Shop to Ruthven St supplying African cooking ingredients through to hair products and extensions. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Along with stocking a variety of hair products and foods essential to African cooking, the shop will also feature a salon at the rear for people to have their hair extensions installed.

Mr Jok said stores like his were important to ensure members of the South Sudanese community felt included.

“They feel like they have ownership and are part of Toowoomba,” he said.

“When we have this, they feel like they’re part of the community because they can get everything they need here.

“It’s a sense of belonging.”

Ms Mamei said she expected to see plenty of business from people across the Darling Downs.

“We have a lot of people who struggle with getting their hair braids,” she said.

“We’ll have people coming from Dalby, Chinchilla and Warwick so they’re happy to travel all the way.”

Originally published as Toowoomba African hair, grocery store Nile Shop moves to CBD