GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — When you hear the term "family business," Karki Restaurant should come to the top of your mind.
Owner Jit Karki grew up in Nepal. His dad ran a grocery store, and his uncle was a tailor.
The two decided to go into business together, but wanted to do it in America. So, they came to the United States in 2009, when Jit was 14 years old.
“When we came from our own country to here," Jit explained, "we are, like, completely zero. Nothing."
Starting from scratch, the Karkis called Buffalo, New York, home for four years. In that time, Jit's dad and uncle went searching for possible storefronts to house their future business. They looked at locations in thirteen states before finally landing on one spot on 44th Street in Grand Rapids in 2013.
Phauda Karki, Jit's uncle, said, “In the beginning, I am not understanding English, you know.”
The language barrier proved to be just a minor obstacle on their path to success.
What began as a grocery store has turned into a complete collection of Nepal's culture, with clothing, instruments and sculptures for sale.
In August 2021, they opened up the restaurant right next door. All the food they serve comes from just feet away on the grocery store shelves.
“I don't know how we did it, like, the store," Jit said. "It's really hard, you know. First of all, the language, and then I don't know. I have no words how we did it.”