The first time I visited an Indian grocer in U.S. was back in 1996 while in CA for a 3 month technology transfer stuff. As we packed enough stuff for 3 months (lentils / spices etc), there was no need to go to one and none was close also. So, we were generally content with the visits to Safeway across the street (so thrilled with the Safeway then, taking pictures etc).

When one of our roommates wanted to buy 230v stuff to take home, a local person drove us to Berkeley and that's when I saw an Indian store in U.S. for the first time. We ate masala dOsA there and bought curry leaves (till today other than desi stores, none else carries kaRivEppilai in the metro Detroit area...in Florida, people grow in their backyard).

I was so disappointed that the Berkeley store had horrible appearance and not clean then