If you have ever driven along the winding arteries of the Naparima Mayaro Road heading east toward the beaches of Mayaro or the now dormant mud volcano that once swallowed Piparo whole, you have likely blown past the bustling junction in New Grant without a second thought.
For decades, the three-road intersection that connects Princes Town, Rio Claro, Williamsville and a host of other rural communities to each other, has boomed, becoming home to a strip of small businesses, a hardware, a gas station, a major postal office and the chain grocery store that residents argue transformed the community meeting point into an economic hub since it was first opened in the 1980s.
The junction in New Grant has outlived Caroni 1975 Ltd-the State-owned company that managed a number of sugar cane, citrus and cocoa estates within the region and once employed hundreds of its children and grandchildren. It has also survived decades of major economic shifts and the years-long Covid-19 global pandemic that temporarily shuttered businesses as the virus wreaked havoc.
Even so, today, the average shopper venturing to the junction is greeted by nearly 20 businesses that remain rooted at the corner, some thriving despite harsh conditions, and drawing customers who have built their lives along the route. Some have changed, some closed and others newly opened within the past five years.
‘You can get most of the things you need at this junction-not everything, but a lot of things,’ one resident told the Sunday Express last week. ‘I think it is worth it to go there; the prices are sometimes better than when you go outside of the area,’ she added.
The evolution of New Grant Junction
Named by the arrival of the ‘Merikins’, the liberated African slaves who were promised freedom and land if they agreed to fight in the British forces during the American war for independence, New Grant was originally part of a portion of land or ‘grants’ designated to the new settlers.
For as long as residents can remember, the New Grant Junction (formerly called Torrib Trace Junction) has always been home to small businesses, seeking to service commuters as they travel from one district to another.
The very first businesses, they recalled, belonged to Chinese businessmen who established a ‘short shop’ and ‘long shop’ along the main roads. In the 1960s, a local postal office and gas station were added to the main street, further playing into the need to be connected, as locals understood the convenience of shopping closer to home in lieu of travelling long distances to the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the nearest town centres in Princes Town or Rio Claro.
In the 1980s, residents recalled the ‘long shop’ being sold. Its former spot on the right-hand side of the roadway leading to Rio Claro and Torrib Trace was purchased by Mohan Persad on June 3, 1988, from its previous owner, Parsam Nanan.
Persad and his wife, Shirley Persad, would go on to create Persad’s D Food King, a now nationwide chain of supermarkets under the Persad’s D Food King Group and the Persad’s Wholesale and Distribution. The supermarket, which remains at New Grant Junction, still services hundreds, if not thousands of customers every week.
Nearby, Seecharan’s liquor shop, now converted into a hardware store, continues to operate within reach of a gym, a poultry store, a barber shop, a cyber cafe, numerous restaurants and bars. A small puja and variety store has remained a staple in the community. Street vendors also abound, stacking crates of fruits, vegetables, coconuts and other items along the roadside, hoping to catch the eye of the passing customer.
A few steps away, the New Grant post office and the local gas station churn to life daily, servicing residents from as far as Tableland and Reform Village. As locals venture to the junction to collect their mail, or fill their tanks, they often funnel into the surrounding shops, sometimes stopping at the roadside to buy vegetables by the pound or a quick bite.
The corner has even become famous among residents for its street food, with numerous doubles spots sprouting up among the shops.
‘It is interesting because it is right there; it’s closer than going to Princes Town to San Fernando, and in my opinion, you get more value for some things. In particular, Persad’s grocery always has an offer or a sale, and it is like they consider the people who may not be able to buy in bulk or who need some more economic options, so I like it for that reason,’ one resident told the Sunday Express.
Persad’s D Food King powers New Grant heartbeat
Among the businesses there, none has shaped the reach of the New Grant junction quite like Persad’s D Food King. If the junction has a heartbeat, residents say it has been sustained and kept alive by the supermarket giant and staples such as the gas station and hardware store.
Persad’s wholesale is currently an international direct importer, supplying fresh produce, dried fruits, dairy, pasta, rice, oil, sugar, frozen and pickled meats, canned goods, detergents, personal care items, household products, lighting, electrical fixtures, appliances, and seasonal merchandise. Its logistic network spans over 30 countries, the website said.
But the blueprint for its operations, marketing development executive Ishvani Persad (granddaughter of Mohan and Shirley Persad) told the Sunday Express last week, could be traced back to its New Grant location. .
When her grandfather first chose to open the location, she said the area was already home to the hardware, the Moy Quan Young Gas Station, Pandora’s Bar, and Carl’s Bar. She recalled that by the 1970s, her grandparents had already opened their first store with handwritten prices on brown paper bags, scooping sugar and channa by hand. That spirit would eventually carry into the New Grant location, transforming overtime into more than a place to shop, she said.
‘Generations have walked those aisles. Stories have been shared at the counters. Trust has been built, day by day, year by year. And that is why New Grant is not just one of our locations. It is the original blueprint of what we know to be Persad’s D Food King,’ said Ishvani Persad.
The junction’s location was chosen as it offered an advantage, positioned between the east and south of the country, and was a point of passage for families travelling daily to San Fernando for work or school, Persad said. She added that was also a deeply personal decision as the family’s roots were in the nearby Hindustan, and they understood the community, having lived within it.
‘They knew what it meant to build from nothing, to stretch every dollar, and to rely on trust above all else. At the time, New Grant was a growing community filled with hard-working families who needed access-not just to goods, but to reliability, fairness, and care. There was a gap, and more importantly, there was an opportunity to serve,’ she said.
Built on faith and devotion
Persad said the business was built on faith, devotion to God, family and the belief that if you plant good seeds, they will bear good fruit. Before its doors were first opened, prayers were uttered, her grandfather praying to Hindu deities Ganesha and Bhandi Mata for the ability to serve people. The New Grant store had been blessed by her great grandparents, Kassie and Boodiah Persad, when they were still alive. But the business has extended beyond one belief, with its staff representing a diverse mix of faiths and offering support for diversity during a number of religious and cultural festivals across the country, she said.
As the community continues to grow, she said there is a clear need for enhanced infrastructure, parking, improved traffic flow and accessibility. The Group sees this as an opportunity for meaningful development, and is currently in the planning and formalisation stage of a ‘transformative’ project-‘Legacy Plaza-the Gateway to the south-east.’
The project, she said, seeks to build on the success of its Grand Market in Barrackpore, offering a one-stop shopping experience for the region.
‘It will serve as both a retail destination and a hub for small/medium enterprise incubation, supporting local entrepreneurs while also bringing national brands closer to the south-east, eliminating the need for residents to travel out of their region for quality brands and products,’ she said.
The development, she said, will address long-standing concerns through the establishment of multilevel facilities to accommodate stores and partner businesses.
‘Legacy Plaza will also honour our New Grant ‘Persad’s Family’ foundation, our founders, employees, and loyal customers who represent the pillars of our journey,’ she added.
A need for development
Small businesses in the area generally agree that New Grant’s appeal is its convenience, its owners and residents speaking of a quiet shopping alternative. But the junction is not without its challenges.
One major need that would significantly cut trips out of the region, residents and business owners agree, is access to a function Automated Teller Machine (ATM). Currently, residents say, access to cash is too far from home and several businesses along the stretch only accept physical cash.
One resident, Sharlene (who asked for her name to be changed), said a nearby ATM would support working people and reduce transportation costs. ‘There would be no need to spend extra money on taxis/maxis just to access basic banking services. People won’t have to carry large amounts of cash from Princes Town back to New Grant,’ she said.
Residents also expressed concern over road safety, congestion and crime in the area, noting the presence of ‘aggressive’ or at times intoxicated people moving from place to place.
‘The zebra crossing is so faded that drivers completely ignore it so much that most pedestrians don’t even bother using it anymore. The vending in the area makes the smell almost unbearable at times, and with three bars right there in the junction, there is also no pavement for pedestrians to walk on safely.
‘You have to be constantly on high alert. Where are the traffic wardens and police when you need them?’ one resident lamented.
