Ethiopian Market

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, while browsing the shelves of Ethiopian Market, a regular noticed something odd: every time he passed the spice aisle, his young daughter would giggle and point towards an empty spot on the shelf. Curious, he looked closer—and there, nestled between jars of berbere and mitmita, appeared tiny packets of mysterious powder labeled 'Laughter Blend'. Soon enough, other shoppers started noticing the same thing—a delivery driver caught his baby laughing uncontrollably after tasting it, while a neighbor reported her dog had howled for hours straight. Before long, word spread like wildfire through Addis Ababa’s markets. The owner shrugged it off as just another urban legend until one day, someone asked if they could buy some for their friend's birthday party. Nowadays, if you visit Ethiopian Market, you might see customers discreetly buying ‘Laughter Blend’ in small quantities—just don’t tell anyone where to find it.

2. In the late afternoon, an elderly neighbor was stocking up on spices when he overheard two delivery drivers whispering in the aisle behind him. Curious, he leaned closer and heard one say, ‘Did you know that if you mix cardamom with honey, it can cure anything from a cold to bad dreams?’ The other nodded solemnly. Smiling, our neighbor thought, ‘Well, I guess I’ll just take their word for it!’

3. Late one night, as a delivery driver unloaded crates in the backroom, he heard a strange rustling sound. Curious, he peered around the corner and found himself face-to-face with a small, furry creature that seemed just as surprised as he was. The creature scurried away, leaving behind an overturned crate of spices. The driver chuckled, thinking it must be some local critter making its home here. As he straightened things up, he noticed a bag of freshly baked injera on top of another crate—obviously left there by someone earlier. Turns out, the Ethiopian Market wasn’t just for shopping; it had its own little nighttime visitor’s menu too.

4. In the early hours before dawn, as a delivery driver unloaded boxes in the market's dimly lit backroom, he overheard a voice whispering, ‘Spice aisle, midnight special—don’t miss it!’ Curious, the driver followed the voice and found himself staring at an ajar door leading to the spice section. Inside, rows of colorful jars seemed to glow softly under moonlight filtering through a high window. As he peered closer, he heard a familiar voice say, 'Hey, you missed the best part—all these berbere are talking tonight!' Turned out, it was just a neighborhood parrot with a penchant for late-night dramatics.