Shop ‘frozen in time’ has connection with customers like no other

Bold Street is arguably Liverpool’s most lively street. Many of its unique and wonderful businesses have been there for years, while others come and go.

But one business which has outlasted almost all of them is the international food store, Matta’s, which celebrates its 40th anniversary on July 27. But what’s the secret behind Matta’s longevity amidst four decades of challenges?

And what makes this unassuming little shop so special?

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Well, first you have to go all the way back to the store’s origins – just over a mile south on Toxteth’s Granby Street. Here, the first edition of Matta’s was opened in 1965 by husband and wife, Kirpal and Kanta Matta.

They originally focused on sourcing rare herbs and spices, travelling to London to get ingredients. Kanta knew her favourite customers and would bring down portions of curry for them to eat.

She and Kirpal were famed for their samosas, which are still mentioned by customers to this day. Following the Toxteth riots, the family moved shop to their current home on Bold Street in 1984. Kirpal and Kanta’s sons, Dalip and Deepak Matta, now run the business.

In the lead up to its 40th birthday, Dalip spoke to the ECHO about what makes Matta’s such a city institution.

He said: “We moved to this location after the riots. The quality of life in L8 went down after they happened. It turned from one of the most brilliant places to live to a place where you couldn’t go out past 7pm.

“I remember the day we opened up here – I must have only been about 15 back then. That was a great memory. We didn’t have much then but we used what we could.”

Dalip puts Matta’s success down to “consistency” but also the “connection” it has with customers. He said: “People come in and talk to us about their problems. We can tell if certain regulars are in a good mood or a bad mood and we always ask them about their issues.

“My mum just used to sit at the back of the shop with customers and make them a cup of tea, give them recipe ideas and have a chat. We don’t see our relationship with customers as a case of us and them.”

Jan, a family friend who occasionally assists in the shop, added: “How many shops or outlets anywhere now can you get that level of personal service? It’s like a shop frozen in time. You used to have places like that on every street corner and people relied on them.

“This is a real community hub. We know everyone’s names and if we don’t see someone we think, ‘where have they gone?'”

Dalip added: “My dad always believed in what he was doing and he needed to do it because he had a growing family. He knew that if you want something, you have to give 110%. He’s worked hard all his life, coming here at such a young age when he was 15.”

Dad, Kirpal, echoed this sentiment, telling the ECHO: “If you have vision, put your head down, be honest, hardworking and truthful – if you do all that then you can do it.

“I’m really grateful for everyone; our customers, my family and my boys are taking the business to where it needs to be.”

Dalip said that he had expected the business to reach 40 years old – that was until the coronavirus pandemic. He said: “The pandemic was really challenging and hard, but it was also good because we had a lot of people who supported us.

“We did deliveries and other things just to try to keep the business running and we got through it. We wanted to get through it. It was down to determination and not giving up.”

Matta’s still has a loyal customer base, with some regulars having shopped there all the way back in the Granby Street days. Many of their customers have paid homage to the store for its 40th anniversary.

Regular, Emily Walker said: “My mum moved to the UK from Singapore in 1975. Growing up on a council estate on the Wirral, the only place mum could buy the ingredients she needed for her Chinese and Malay dishes was Matta’s. We would make a special train ride from the Wirral on Saturdays to stock up.

“We kids would be excited for the delicious food mum would make on evenings after these shopping trips but I’d also dread how long it would take my mum to shop! Ingredients would be scrutinised and compared but, worst of all, we’d be standing around waiting for my mum while she gave detailed recipes and cooking methods to unsuspecting shoppers she’d randomly started talking to.

“It was worth the waiting around though, when we tucked into peanut satay, fried noodles or a Malaysian laksa later that evening. “She’s in her 70s now and still exactly the same. We still love to shop at Matta’s.”

Former customer, Natalie said: “I have really early memories of shopping here with my Dad when I was a kid, with the family who worked in the shop helping my dad pick the perfect ingredients for a meal.

“Fast forward to me being an adult and living in the city centre, I was able to shop here a lot. One day, with four bags of shopping, my card declined. I had no idea why, and was in a bit of a panic. Dalip then really sweetly said: ‘It’s okay, take your shopping home and come back to pay when you have sorted your card at the bank’.

“I honestly could have cried! Within an hour it was all sorted and I popped back to pay. That incredibly kind act has always stayed with me. I’ve since moved away, and really miss having Matta’s as my local shop, I hope Liverpool continue to embrace and cherish it.”

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