Kumba’s African Market opened recently at the Boardwalk Shops in downtown Batavia, offering a selection of African clothing, home decor, food and more.
The shop is run by Teta Porter, 44, of Plainfield, who also operates a brick-and-mortar store in Wheaton known as the African Continental Market which opened eight years ago.
A West African refugee who came to the United States more than two decades ago, Porter said she wanted to come to Batavia in hopes of expanding her business.
“My reason is to test the market here in Batavia and try to bring the West African culture to the area because there are many people who don’t know about these types of stores. I have customers who have walked into my shop and never seen anything like this,” Porter said. “Some have to go all the way to Chicago to find things like this.
“It’s a way of bringing African heritage here and make it easier for people to try it out,” she said.
The name Kumba’s African Market has a dual significance as Kumba was the name of Porter’s grandmother.
“I wanted to remember and she also inspired me to go into business,” Porter said.
She said “Kumba” is “a word used in my language which means the second girl child. If you say ‘Kumba’ people know that’s who you’re talking about. The second girl child is Kumba,”
Beth Walker, executive director of the Batavia MainStreet group which oversees the Boardwalk Shops, said having the new store join this year’s lineup of shops “was really exciting as one of the goals of the Boardwalk is to offer something unique to the community.”
A few days after opening last month, Porter hosted a Taste of Africa event where she said “a lot of people tried things.”
She said she believes her market will have a diverse clientele “as there are many refugees in the DuPage area that I personally know.”
“I’m a refugee and I was resettled by World Relief in 2002 and when I came in it was a struggle,” she said. “I had to drive miles to Bolingbrook or to Westmont so I realized there was a need and I said it would be easier if I could bring (African goods) close.”
Porter said Kumba’s African Market mimics those found in her native land “where they make it a one-stop shop and have a little bit of everything.”
“There are foods, jewelry, crafts, bracelets and other things,” she said. “Since we opened on May 9 people are surprised. Most of them have never seen these kinds of groceries.”
Nancy Munro of Wheaton visited the Batavia location recently and said she “loves seeing diversity in the market.”
“I love it. We need to see more of this,” Munro said as she exited the store. “I like the dresses here. They are very unique, very colorful.”
Pam Kautz of Geneva likewise stopped at the store recently and described it “as being fun.”
“We like to try and look at new things,” Kautz said. “I like to see new things, absolutely.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
