Kurdish market damaged by flood hoping to reopen before Ramadan

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    SOUTH NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — A South Nashville market is once again cleaning up after flood waters rushed in.

This happened to Botan Market in 2010 and then again this past weekend. They had to throw out at least $200,000 worth of food.

“It has been a very bad tragedy for us,” Helan Tovi whose family owns the store said. The Botan Market has been a staple in the community for more than 20 years.

“To start up again from a decade to get to where we were and to have to do it over again, I mean there was no words,” Tovi said.

Since Sunday, people from all over Nashville have been volunteering their time.

“It’s been the second home for a lot of us and Hamid being one of the first entrepreneurs in the community, he has guided a lot of us,” Zindan Berwary, a volunteer said.

Hamid is the owner of the store. Zindan Berwary didn’t hesitate to help when he saw the flooding. He’s been out at the store ever since the water receded.

“Everybody’s out here trying to do the best they can through COVID, but in times like this, we’re still pulling together,” Berwary said.

With Ramadan in less than two weeks, they’re on a timeline. It’s one of the Kurdish community’s biggest celebrations.

Many buy their groceries at the market. “Honestly, it means the world to have someone to lend a hand,” Tovi said.

For Tovi, that support is what she believes will get them through this latest natural disaster.

“Thankfully in 2021, with everything that’s going on still, there’s actually even more help.”

The goal is for the store to reopen before Ramadan.

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