MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - The Peanut Shoppe on South Main is a Mid-South staple. The enticing aromas that pour out its doors have pulled people in for decades. It’s been family owned and operated for 63 years. Ridda and Ameerah Abu-Zaineh have owned the Peanut Shoppe for 20 years next month and say while the job is always rewarding, it has its challenges.
The nut crop has been dealt big blows by the weather the last couple of years. Extreme drought in 2010 forced the store to outsource different suppliers to reduce the price hike for their customers. Last year’s weather wasn’t much better, but the beginning of 2012 started off promising for the small business.
Ridda Abu-Zaineh, Co-owner of The Peanut Shoppe, says, “Our business depends on the weather. Normally in January and February it slows down. It was way above average. It was a good year with the changes of the weather getting warm.”
The nut crop began to flourish in April. Late October, a normally busy time for shipping nuts, brought Hurricane Sandy. Rough weather in the Northeast had a big impact on the Peanut Shoppe in Memphis.
“Some of my main shipments from my supplier in Pennsylvania was cut in half,” says Abu-Zaineh.
Fortunately, the Peanut Shoppe found southern region suppliers and are fully stocked again for the holidays. There is a large variety of nuts and business in booming on South Main.
“It's a blessing! I guess they come for the quality and service!”
