A hard-working family is celebrating 40 years at the heart of their community as friends and customers joined their big birthday party.
The Sohal family has been running the shop, now a Select and Save, in Farmers Way in Westlands in Droitwich for the last four decades.
One of the youngest members of the family, seven-year Jason Cook, was there with his grandfather, Satvinder Sohal, who owns the shop, and other family members and customers to mark the milestone.
The shop has gone through several different name changes including Western Supermarket, Happy Shopper, Costcutter, Spar and, most recently Select and Save (since November last year), a change which the family say has allowed them to offer better deals for loyal customers.
FOUNDER: Lachhman Singh Sohal opened the shop, now Select and Save, in 1986 (Image: Newsquest)
There was a party atmosphere at the shop and other businesses connected to the family, including candyfloss, face-painting and giveaways with free samples from AG Barr, as people arrived from the community to celebrate the milestone.
Satvinder Sohal, 59, owns the business, but it was first set up by his father, Lachhman Singh Sohal, a British Army veteran, and his wife Swarn Kaur Sohal, in 1986.
Mr Sohal described the shop as a ‘family-run business, loved by the community’.
Several members of the family have been involved in running the shop, including 41-year-old Bhavi Sohal, her dad Jaspal and her uncles Jasbinder and Iqbal and her brother, Sunny Sohal, who now runs it together with his sister.
“I’ve been in the shop all my life. We always try to help people as much as we can,” she said.
GENERATIONS: L-R Cllr Richard Morris, Jason Cook, seven, owner Satvinder Sohal and manager Bhavi Sohal (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
A montage of photos showing the family over previous generations had been prepared by Select and Save, showing the shop through the years and over the generations.
The family first came to Huddersfield where Lachhman Singh Sohal worked in a factory before he relocated to Birmingham, opening the shop in 1986.
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Ms Sohal said the family has now been running the shop for generations, describing the community as ‘beautiful’ and ‘helpful’.
“It’s surreal because I’m still here. It has been difficult sometimes. But that comes with anything you do. I would not change it for anything. We’ve had our ups and downs,” she said.
PARTY: Jass Aujla, 17, daughter of Bhavi Sohal, one of the Select and Save managers sells candyfloss to mark the 40th birthday of the family running the shop in Farmers Way, Droitwch (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
The family say becoming a Select and Save was one of the best decisions they made as it meant they were able to offer customers very good deals on their groceries with deliveries organised via Scoot.
Satvinder Sohal also owns the fish and chip shop, Salt and Vinegar (run by his brother Steven Singh Sohal), and Swirly Joe’s which will sell desserts and is due to open at the end of January and will be run by Perry Reynolds.
The business had been in Worcester but was forced to close during Covid, so this represents a new beginning for the business.
The birthday was also set to be marked with a bingo event on Wednesday night with prizes ranging from a 32-inch television to cakes and alcohol.
The party was organised by the family together with Debbie Cotton, Select and Save, Booker’s wholesalers and a team of helpers including Trudi Wilson and Jess Brown, whose daughters also helped.
