The story unfolds in a small village near Vienna where the grandfather of the present owner ran a small general store. He and his family emigrated to England in 1939. Having worked in a factory for eight years to accumulate capital and learn the language, he once again decided to open a shop selling food products.

Responding to the needs of the immigrant community from Eastern Europe the shop soon started selling and specialising in Polish cooked meats and pickles, Hungarian salami, German hams and sausages and European-style bread. The shop soon established a reputation for its European products, many of which were obtained from London importers and had never before been seen in this part of the country. The shop was a constant hub of activity and a meeting place for its customers who would converse with each other and with the staff in a variety of languages. This is still the case today.

As time passed and the South Wales continental community developed, the product range grew to include Italian and Spanish cheeses, hams and salamis, French charcuterie, Greek olives and olive oil and many more continental products.

At the beginning of the 1980's the shop, now under Wally's direction, moved to its current location in one of Cardiff's premium Victorian shopping arcades. Recent years have seen the addition of ethnic products, in particular Chinese, but also Thai, Japanese, Mexican and Caribbean.

During the early 1990's Wally's son, Steven, joined the business and subsequently became the current owner.

Combining expertise with old-fashioned service, "Wally's" Manager David, together with Steven and their staff will be happy to assist with any enquiries you may have.