The international grocery store, Apna Bazar, has been a familiar name on the First Coast since it opened in the early 2000s, branching out from its original location in Orlando. Faisal’s store first operated from an 8,000-square-foot unit at the intersection of Anniston and Beach Boulevard, where it stood opposite Sam’s Club. Today, that spot is occupied by Mi Pueblo.

In 2022, Apna Bazar moved to a larger, 16,000-square-foot premises located at the corner of Cortez and Beach Boulevard. This new location is strategically positioned across from a Winn Dixie and nestled next to residential neighborhoods, allowing the store to continue serving the community in a more expansive capacity.

It originally sat at the corner of Anniston and Beach Boulevard across from the Sam’s Club in an 8,000 sq. ft. unit in the shopping plaza housing Mi Pueblo now.

In 2022, it expanded into the current 16,000 sq. ft. building across the Winn Dixie at the corner of Cortez and Beach Boulevard beside residential streets.

In April 2024, plans emerged for a 25,000-square-foot animal processing facility at 7709 Woodley Road, west of New Kings Road in Northwest Jacksonville.

The facility was intended to serve Apna Bazar’s halal-meat supply chain. City zoning records show the application sought a zoning exception for roughly two acres.

At the April 18 Planning Commission hearing, the application was withdrawn after dozens of residents voiced concerns. Apna Bazar’s owner, Mohammad Faisal, said:

“We are not here to hurt them [local citizens] or make them complain for anything they think we should not be doing. So that’s why we’re withdrawing our application and I’m sorry, again I want to apologize for that.”

The withdrawal marked the project’s first pivot, with ownership saying the site “was not appropriate” and more community-outreach was needed.

In August 2025, Apna Bazar revived its ambitions — this time proposing a facility on its existing 6.82-acre plaza at 11153 Beach Blvd. in My Jax Plaza.

The plan called for a 30,000-square-foot addition and a 23,800-square-foot freestanding structure east of the store, designed to house on-site butchery and processing in accordance with halal standards.

Backers argued the facility would meet a “growing need” for fresh, affordable halal meat in northeast Florida. But neighbors and animal-welfare groups pushed back.

At a Nov. 6, 2025 hearing, the Jacksonville Planning Commission deadlocked 3-3 on the rezoning request, deferring the decision.

Land-use attorney Cyndy Trimmer, representing Apna Bazar, told the commission, “This facility, really, is trying to be sensitive to the needs of the community and provide a service that doesn’t exist.”

On Nov. 12, 2025, Apna Bazar publicly announced it was withdrawing its request for animal processing at the Beach Boulevard site. Owner Faisal stated:

“Apna Bazar has been proud to serve the Jacksonville community for over twenty years, providing groceries, fresh halal meat, and a place where everyone feels at home. To us, Apna Bazar is more than a store—it’s a gathering place for neighbors, friends, and families from all walks of life.

When we moved to 11173 Beach Boulevard, our vision was to create a space that reflects the diversity and warmth of our community. Our recent request to add animal processing came from a sincere desire to meet the growing need for fresh, affordable halal meat for our brothers and sisters in faith. We believed this would be a way to better serve those who rely on us.

However, we have listened closely to the concerns of our neighbors. Out of respect for our community, we have decided to withdraw the request for animal processing at Apna Bazar. Your voices matter to us because this community is the heart of everything we do.

The need for locally processed halal meat remains, and we will continue searching for a location that works for everyone. In the meantime, we want you to know—whether you supported or opposed the proposal—you are always welcome at Apna Bazar. This is your home as much as ours.”

The saga puts a spotlight on several intersecting issues:

Cultural/faith-based food access: Apna Bazar cited a “growing need” for halal meat locally. The proposed facility would have served a Muslim customer base seeking meats processed to Islamic dietary laws.

Neighborhood concerns: Residents opposing the rezoning cited worry about odors, noise, traffic and environmental risk. Some residents brought up concerns over noises, smells, sights and contamination during public comments at city meetings and community discussions held specifically about the proposal. 

Zoning and industrial fit: The proposed facility straddled light industrial and residential zones, prompting debate over whether such a use belonged in a mixed-commercial/residential area.

Economic and supply-chain implications: A local processing facility could reduce distance from slaughter to shelf, improve freshness of halal meat and support local business growth.

Precedent-setting: With only a handful of halal-specific meat-processing operations in mid-sized U.S. metros, what happens here could influence future requests for culturally specific food-system infrastructure in Jacksonville.

Though the Beach Boulevard proposal is off the table for now, Apna Bazar says it will keep looking for a “farm space” or alternative location that better aligns with community and zoning expectations.

City council consideration was postponed following the Planning Commission deadlock. 

Future meetings, community outreach and alternative sites will likely determine whether a local halal-processing operation will ultimately take root.