Tarhini say he has no trouble keeping his items fresh, as the majority of it sells quickly. Still, he says he combs through his products daily, getting rid of anything that's no longer up to his standards.

"The customer is very invaluable to us. We have to go out for something good for them," he says.

Asked what encouraged him to open up a produce store in downtown Guelph, Tarhini says it was his own experience shopping in the city.

"I buy one time here two croissant with two apples for $9.35. I was thinking, people cannot afford it here this way. That's why we try to make something good for the public. We need something like that," he says.

While he's living in Toronto now, he hopes he can move with his wife and child somewhere closer to Guelph to help with the traffic, driving, and long hours. When the Mercury Tribune stopped by his store without notice, his wife and child were in the back of the store — the only time he has to spend with them some weeks.

Tarhini says he doesn't do any advertising. He hasn't even posted the phone number for the store, or created a Google page listing — although customers are already raving about the quality and prices on an unofficial Google business listing.

Tarhini plans to expand the offerings in the store, and use up what little leftover produce he has by bringing in a cold-pressed juice machine.

He says the plan is for people to just pick whatever they want to press from his offerings, and he'll juice it right in front of them.

He's also looking to bring in some baklava, a middle-eastern dessert based around pistachios and honey — "the good stuff," he says.

Tarhini has been living in Canada since 2005, but says with the right mindset, people can find joy wherever they are. Before opening his store, he worked as a painter to save money. He says he even painted the Walmarts in town.

"I love Canada, and I love the city. But everywhere is good, my friend. You work and you making your living. That's good. You got family, you're working, that's good for you. So we rich. I feel myself I'm a rich guy. I've got my family; I've got this."