- (From left to right: Mohammed (Mike) Saleh, his wife Tamara, and longtime employee Wayne Telford. Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
It’s the end of an era. The Super Duper store on Bridge Street West across from the Quinte Consolidated Courthouse near downtown Belleville is closing.
Once a small local variety store chain of five stores, the owners of Super Duper Mohammed Saleh, known to most as Mike, and his wife Tamara are closing the doors and putting the building up for sale.
Mike, who immigrated from Palestine decades ago, has been in the convenience store business for 41 years and is 76 years of age.
Closing the store is a bittersweet experience for the Salehs.
To many people living in the neighborhood Super Duper was much more than a store, it was a social focal point and Saleh says he’s helped many people over the years by providing overnight shelter and giving away food to the needy in what is one of Belleville’s oldest neighbourhoods.
Mohammed is also the Imam at the Muslim Society of Belleville mosque which has a congregation of over 100.
(Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
