G & H African Market
Address: 2561 South State Street
Telephone: 385-770-0298
Website: instagram.com/gh.marketllc
District: South Salt Lake
"Our people, we don’t have a background in owning this kind of business. It is still hard to believe we did it,” admits Pinya Issa. G & H African Market is more than a store - it is a dream realized, and a family reunited.
Pina’s journey began in Sudan where war forced his mother to send him to the U.S. with an uncle in pursuit of a better life. At ten years old, he arrived in Texas, later attending university for three years before moving to Washington in 2012 to be closer to his sister. Eventually, he and his sister moved to Salt Lake in search of job opportunities.
In 2025, Hellen Otto, his wife and business partner, posed a question that changed everything: "Want to buy a store?" Without hesitation, Pinya embraced the opportunity. "I called my sister, and she said, 'What do you mean you bought a store?' Through her tears, she told me how happy she was for me.”
Both Hellen and Pinya's families had been displaced refugees in different parts of Africa, arriving in the U.S. at separate times. Now, they have come together - meeting in Salt Lake City - bound by love, friendship, and hard work. Multiple siblings, nieces, nephews, and children surround one another daily, each contributing to the market’s success.
Husaya Hama, Pinya’s nephew, has been instrumental in branding the business, designing the logo, business cards, and managing the shop’s marketing efforts. "When Pinya called me and asked if I would help manage the shop, I couldn’t believe it." With tears in his eyes, Husaya added, "I have no issue with volunteering my time. I believe that Hellen and Pinya are setting a foundation. They are a good example for others coming after them."
The market itself was once another African shop, but Pinya and Hellen made it their own in early 2025, stocking it with carefully sourced items from across the African continent. Their goal was simple: to create a space where people could find the foods and products they longed for. "We love seeing their reactions when they find something on our shelves that they haven't seen in years and years. They tell us it feels like home."
The shop is filled with traditional African goods: dried fish from Uganda, a vast assortment of teas, large yams straight from Husaya’s village, and an array of spices from Kenya, Sudan, Egypt, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. Customers walk in and light up. "People tell us that they haven’t seen some of these things since they were children in Africa." Many of their products come directly from family members in Uganda, who shop in local markets and ship goods to Salt Lake, bypassing middlemen to ensure authenticity and affordability.
Beyond food, the shop features an extensive collection of African hair products, catering to a vital need in the refugee community. "Our beauty is in our hair. We are identified by our hair, and I do not want to make it so men and women cannot get theirs done the way they would like," Hellen explains. She often spends six hours at a time braiding hair, transforming the task into a communal gathering where conversations flow freely.
The family is still learning from the diverse customers who visit daily. "We are being exposed to so many more African cultures now. It is so much fun." Even former missionaries who spent time in Africa find joy in the market, reminiscing about the flavors and smells that transport them back to their travels.
Hellen and Pinya hope to expand beyond retail and introduce traditional African dishes to the community. They have the space in the back of the shop. Hopefully, it will be another dream that can come true. "We can use these treasured foods and spices and create something delicious and memorable," Hellen envisions.
At the heart of it all is family. Hellen, born in Obbo, South Sudan, spent eleven years in a refugee camp in Uganda before arriving in Maine with six of her siblings. She eventually moved to Salt Lake in 2012, married, had children, and later met Pinya. Together, they now raise five children in a home that blends the richness of African culture with the opportunities of America.
"Not everyone can make their dream come true," Hellen reflects. "We have put a lot of thought and hard work into what we are doing. When people say, 'wow,' I can only smile. It means we are doing our job, and it brings me joy too. It’s awesome."
