Saleh Mohammed Shaibi was born in the 1930s in the mountain village of Shaib in Yemen. Saleh explains the circumstances of his move to the UK: South Yemen was part of the British Empire at the time and gave the opportunity for Yemenis to come to live and work in the UK. Saleh was one of the many groups of men who migrated to work and to create a better life for themselves as well as support their families back in Yemen. 

He initially moved to Sheffield because he had contacts there to help him find work, but he ended up training with the British army when none of the factories would take him on for work because he didn’t look strong enough. He then moved to London before eventually settling in Birmingham. 

Saleh credits men from the Yemeni community who had come in earlier years for the help they provided on his arrival. Typically they ran shared housing for other Yemenis coming to England and were also their main source of finding work. It was very much a community effort…Yemenis who knew other Yemenis. 

Saleh’s greatest achievement is the establishment of the butchers and grocery shop that he has in Lozells, Saleh’s Food Store (formerly named Saleh and Sons), which specialises in Caribbean groceries and has been serving the community for over 40 years. He fondly recalls many experiences from his training in the army to working as a waiter, from actor to steel worker, to even picking up skills as a tailor. Saleh says that all his experiences have been part of the path that paved his way to becoming a very successful business owner and the respect he has achieved within the community he lives and works in. Saleh has also been accredited for his work and efforts and was awarded shop keeper of the year award in 2018. 

(interviewed by his grand-daughter Small Saleh)