SPICES N BEYOND

THE SPICES N BEYOND STORY

Born and raised in New Delhi in India, Swati was a go-getter. Her father was a lawyer, and her mother, a school teacher, while she aspired for a career in Computer Science. "Hardwork is the core value taught in Indian middle class families. That, and education went hand-in-hand. While I was a very sincere student, my passion came in the form of computers. It was high school, and a few brand new computers arrived at my school lab. It was mind boggling how they could make even the most complex calculation seem effortless," says Swati.

After her undergrad in India, she came to the US for her masters in Computer Science. She then worked for some very prominent companies back in the late 90s and early 2000s. "I was working at Sun Microsystems, and found myself almost living a dream," says Swati.

But life had other plans. Responsibilities took over Swati's life, and before she knew it, she became a mother. "After my first one was born, I realized I needed more flexibility. I quit my job and became a full-time mom. Kids are not going to be two forever, and I wanted to enjoy their childhood. I enjoyed running behind them, savoring every milestone, ferrying them to school and back. It wasn't easy to give up a career you worked so hard for, but looking back, I think that was the best decision of my life"

Swati became closer and closer to the city of Parker during these years. She would go around town running errands the time her kids were in school. "While it was possible to check every to-do off my list, finding groceries to cook Indian food was not an easy task. That's when my hunt for a good Indian store began. I learnt the desi population in Parker was very varied. I began studying spices I cooked with, but ran into tens of them I never knew before. Vegetables again were a revelation - there were so many! I started to curate and understand the desi pantry, and that gave an outline to my store, Spices N Beyond."

"For the longest time, the only type of rice I knew was Basmati, but today at Spices N Beyond, we carry more than ten varieties." Her background in Computer Science meant she could apply her analytical rigor, eye for detail, and her passion to wow her customers, to running the first-of-a-kind South Asian grocery store in Parker.

When you visit Spices N Beyond, say hello to Swati! She enjoys greeting her customers and knowing where they come from, and learning a bit more about herself and Spices N Beyond in the process!