Chester’s Rising: New Jersey Transplant Abughoush Finds Opportunity in Chester

Mohammed Abughoush had always been a man who embraces challenges.

One of those was moving to Chester to start a business.

“People were telling me ‘Don’t go there,’” Abughoush says. “‘It is too dangerous, and there are no business opportunities.’ I saw it differently.” 

His journey took him from New York to New Jersey and finally to Philadelphia. Then, in 2019, his brother introduced him to Chester on a visit and an opportunity presented itself in the form of an abandoned store on Avenue of the States. For Agbughoush, the site wasn’t a rundown storefront – it was an opportunity with plenty of potential.

“When my brother and I first saw the location, it was abandoned and

destroyed,” Abughoush says. “We spent a lot of money fixing it. Since we’ve opened, we have felt a change in the energy around here. More people are coming out to the point where half of my customers are from outside of Chester.”

He and his brother invested time, effort, and money to breathe new life into the building. In 2021, they opened their business, Super Deal Liquidations, which is along the Avenue of the States, offering high-quality products at affordable prices from major retailers such as Costco, Amazon, and Walmart.

“Since opening, people who come in to buy something thank me for providing a variety of quality items at reasonable prices,” Abughoush says. “We meet a lot of kind people. And I am happy to provide an outlet for them and help bring some activity to the area.”

Abughoush finds the portrayal of Chester by media and other outsiders disappointing. Since living here, he believes the city does not get enough credit for the positives it does bring like how welcoming people are and the city’s surroundings.

“This the only place the media makes look like a jungle,” Abughoush says. “Which is funny to me because I think it’s one of the most beautiful places I lived. It has the Delaware River, bridges, and a little bit of everything for everyone.”

Like many business owners downtown, Abughoush is optimistic about the steps that Mayor Stefan Roots and Receiver Michael Doweary are taking to revitalize the city’s central business district. The city launched a program to improve the facades in the City’s core business district, and Mayor Roots’ ultimate vision includes closer links with Widener University and positioning Chester as a hub for sports.

Chester also recently hired a new chief of staff/city administrator, Thomas Moore, who brings decades of experience and a deep knowledge of the community. Moore most recently served as head of business development and information technology for the Chester Water Authority.

Abughoush hopes measures like these and the city’s eventual emergence from bankruptcy will provide the stability that the business community needs to thrive and expand.

“We need to continue to make people feel comfortable opening businesses here,” Abughoush says. “It will bring more attention and encourage people outside of Chester to see what we have to offer.

“If businesses are supported and the streets are filled with shops, traffic will come. “If I can succeed here, I know the city can with the right support.”

Chester’s Rising is a series of stories about the Chester business community