Shumet Felegu and Asefash Hailu to offer Ethiopian, Sudanese and East African goods
Shumet Felegu and wife Asefash Hailu recently received loan assistance from the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s (SWIF) Microenterprise Loan Program to expand their Ethiopian restaurant, Queen Sheba. A specialty grocery store will be added to the restaurant, located in the former Thompson Hotel at 304 10th St. in downtown Worthington.
Queen Sheba’s grocery will concentrate on staple items including flours, beans, dried vegetables, spices, rice, Ethiopian coffee and tea, fruits, vegetables and special dairy products. The grocery and restaurant is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Adequate seating is available in the restaurant for small parties or business gatherings. Queen Sheba can be reached at 507-376-5102.
The Queen Sheba grocery project is a joint lending effort of the Worthington Regional Economic Development Corporation, the Southwest Regional Development Commission in Slayton and SWIF. Proceeds from the loans will be used for equipment and inventory.
“We at the Foundation are pleased to be able to work in partnership with these organizations to help Shumet and Asefash expand their business and better serve the Worthington area,” said SWIF Program Officer Kurt Thompson. “There is a definite need in the community for the goods and services that will be offered at Queen Sheba and we are happy to be a part of it.”
SWIF’s Microenterprise Loan Program offers loans of up to $35,000 for starting or expanding for-profit small businesses located within the 18 counties of southwest Minnesota that have a need for additional sources of funds. In addition, technical assistance is available from SWIF as needed for the length of the loan. The program receives funding assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration, as well as from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Southwest Initiative Foundation is a regional community foundation dedicated to advancing southwest Minnesota through leadership, relationship-building, program development and philanthropy. The Foundation has contributed more than $47 million through its grant and loan programs in southwest Minnesota. It has also helped more than 450 businesses start or expand through its business finance programs, which has created or retained more than 7,500 jobs. To learn more, visit www.swifoundation.org.
