FRESH APPROACH: New grocery store opens in Canton
Open less than two weeks, Cedar Fruits & Vegetables is already becoming a favorite of shoppers in Canton.
The vibe inside Canton’s two-week-old grocery store Cedar Fruits & Vegetables is clean, fresh and airy — just the way owner Hassan Mroueh’s customers like it.
Stocked with fresh Michigan-grown produce and a long line of additional edibles — from organic honey to milk — Cedar is a convenient, friendly alternative to the township’s two massive grocery businesses near the intersection of Ford and Canton Center roads.
“People are loving us,” said Mroueh. “There is plenty of parking, no long lines, fresh food.”
Cedar Fruits & Vegetables is located in the shopping complex located at 7329 Lilley Road, just north of Warren Road.
Worth the wait
He secured the space in February of 2022 with plans to open in October of 2022; however, unforeseen delays pushed the opening back to this autumn.
Mroueh, a resident of Dearborn, has owned two similar businesses — one in Dearborn and another in Toledo, Ohio, but he said the location of his new business is ideal.
“I love the people,” when asked what he likes best about the site. “Cedar has a strong reputation throughout metro-Detroit, so I’m getting customers who used to shop at my previous stores traveling here from Dearborn, Novi, Brighton, Howell.”
As he led a reporter around a tour of his business, Mroueh picked up a container of honey from a display.
“We focus on organic food like this,” he said, pointing to the ingredients. “This honey is unfiltered, so all of the vitamins and protein aren’t removed.
Home-made goodness
“A lot of our food is home-made — from the hummus to the pickles. Our bakery items are delivered every morning, so nothing is sitting around for a couple of days.”
The grocery business is in Mroueh’s DNA. His grandfather and father specialized in selling fruits and vegetables.
“I have a degree in business management, so I could be working at a big company making big money,” he said. “But I’m not someone who likes to sit behind a desk. I like walking around, communicating with my customers, answering questions.
“I’ve made so many friends already in the two weeks we’ve been open. I’ve met people of all ages and all cultures.”
Michigan-made brands
While walking down the freshly-stocked produce aisle, Mroueh pointed out how the vast majority of the offerings were grown in Michigan or Canada.
“Nothing is shipped in from Mexico or Arizona, so you know what you’re getting is fresh,” he said.
Expansion is already in the works, revealed Mroueh, who has leased two adjoining units to his current facility.
“We’re going to open a meat market and bakery next door,” he announced. “We want to be a one-stop store for people looking for fresh food.”
Cedar is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (it closes at 7 p.m. on Sundays).
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
