Immigrants aren’t just starting businesses—they’re fixing communities
Across the UK and the US, immigrant entrepreneurs are breathing new life into ageing high streets, empty shopfronts, and overlooked corners of cities. They’re not only creating jobs. They’re building neighbourhoods.
According to the OECD, immigrants make up over 12% of business owners in the UK, even though they’re less than 9% of the population. In the US, immigrant entrepreneurs founded 22% of all small businesses as of 2022. That number jumps in cities like New York and Los Angeles.
They open shops, restaurants, salons, markets, clinics, and cafés. These are not flashy tech startups. They’re small, often family-run, and deeply local.
Reviving high streets, one shop at a time
Walk down a once-quiet block in Southall or Barking and you’ll see what this looks like. A row of shuttered stores from a decade ago now holds a Punjabi grocer, a Kurdish barbershop, and a Caribbean bakery.
These businesses draw foot traffic. More people on the street means more safety, more spending, and more reasons to stay local. It also means more neighbourhood jobs—especially for other immigrants or first-time workers.
One shop might employ two family members. Another might bring on part-time staff from the local college. Multiply that by a dozen shops and you’ve got serious grassroots employment.
Case study: From grocery aisle to restaurant
Javid Javdani, a pharmacist in San Diego, didn’t start his business life with a plan to open a restaurant. He just saw a grocery shop for sale in his neighbourhood. He bought it, expanded it, and began stocking items no other stores carried—things people from nearby immigrant communities missed from home.
“A woman came in crying because I had a brand of pickled eggplant she hadn’t seen since she left Iran,” he said.
That one decision turned into a ripple effect. People came for the food. They stayed for conversation. Eventually, Javdani opened a Mediterranean restaurant around the corner, creating more jobs and another gathering space.
Filling cultural and economic gaps
Immigrant business owners often solve problems others ignore.
There’s a lack of affordable fresh produce in one area? A street vendor starts selling mangoes and herbs from a cart. There’s no halal butcher in the borough? A local family opens one.
These businesses meet both cultural and economic needs. They often serve older immigrants, new arrivals, or people who want to cook food they grew up with but can’t find in chain supermarkets.
They also create social spaces—barbershops, cafés, salons—where people talk, trade stories, and build trust.
Real-world challenges, real-world solutions
It’s not easy. Immigrant entrepreneurs face language barriers, licensing confusion, and access to capital issues. Many don’t qualify for traditional bank loans. Others don’t know which agencies to speak to for permits or insurance.
Some landlords require long leases that scare away first-time owners. Local regulations can be inconsistent or difficult to understand. Signage rules, food safety requirements, and tax reporting—these all pile up quickly.
Still, the businesses persist.
“We didn’t know how to write a business plan,” one Ethiopian shop owner in North London shared. “We just asked friends, took a risk, and opened.”
What’s working in cities right now
Some cities are making it easier.
- Birmingham, UK launched a microbusiness training programme aimed at minority founders.
- Chicago’s South Shore Corridor offered free pop-up spaces to new immigrant-owned businesses to test ideas before signing full leases.
- Toronto created a simplified licensing path for small grocers and restaurants, cutting red tape by 40%.
These efforts pay off. Every £1 invested in immigrant entrepreneurship support in London generates an estimated £4 in local economic value, according to the Centre for Entrepreneurs.
What communities can do next
There are three clear actions councils, nonprofits, and even neighbours can take to support immigrant entrepreneurs:
1. Simplify the paperwork
Most new business owners don’t have a lawyer or accountant on hand. Make starter guides in multiple languages. Create checklists that make sense. Offer office hours where someone from the council answers business questions in plain terms.
2. Make space more flexible
Not every new idea needs a 5-year lease. Offer pop-up permits, short-term rentals, or shared spaces. Let people try ideas with less risk. Community markets and shared kitchens are great starting points.
3. Celebrate what already exists
Run spotlights on local immigrant-owned shops. Host food fairs. Encourage local schools to connect with shopkeepers or restaurant owners for talks or workshops. This builds relationships—and builds customer loyalty.
What aspiring entrepreneurs can do
If you’re thinking of starting a business in your neighbourhood, start by walking it.
What do people complain about not having? What’s missing from the corner shops, the takeaways, the weekend markets? You don’t need to be a marketing genius. You need to listen.
Start small. Think long-term. Don’t wait until you’ve saved a huge amount. Many of the best ideas started with a borrowed fryer, a home recipe, or a small cart on a weekend.
Talk to other small business owners. Ask what they’d do differently if they started today. Most are happy to share what they’ve learned—especially if you’re nearby.
A better way to build a city
Local economies are changing. Big chains are pulling out of high streets. Malls are shrinking. But that doesn’t mean cities are dying. It means there’s room to rebuild differently.
Immigrant entrepreneurs are doing just that. One market stall, one repair shop, one corner café at a time.
They’re not just creating businesses. They’re creating trust. They’re creating places that feel alive again.
And the best part? You don’t need to be rich, famous, or connected to join them.
You just need to start.