Patel Brothers | Exploring Diversity in Jackson Heights

The Patel Brothers is a large Indian grocery store located on 74th Street in Jackson Heights that caters to a large and diverse population. It carries predominantly traditional Indian foods (see pictures and video below). Along with fulfilling the needs of the Indian community in the area, it also attracts many people from outside Jackson Heights, including non-Indians. A non-Indian woman from Brooklyn who has been shopping at the store for the past five years said that she shops at Patel Brothers because it “has everything” and her husband likes Indian food. A non-Indian man from Corona who has been shopping at the store for the past 10 years said that he shops there simply because “it’s convenient”. The following video and exclusive interview with the manager’s son shed light on the significance of Patel Brothers as a major component of the diverse ethnic life in Jackson Heights.