Josefina Martinez tosses bags of chicken for sale at Al Salam Polleria in Los Angeles. The butcher shop, started by Muslim Egyptian immigrants in 1984, sells freshly butchered poultry killed according to religious law, called halal.
9 Images

Al Salam Polleria in Los Angeles

Josefina Martinez tosses bags of chicken for sale at Al Salam Polleria in Los Angeles. The butcher shop, started by Muslim Egyptian immigrants in 1984, sells freshly butchered poultry killed according to religious law, called halal.

Josefina Martinez tosses bags of chicken for sale at Al Salam Polleria in Los Angeles. The butcher shop, started by Muslim Egyptian immigrants in 1984, sells freshly butchered poultry killed according to religious law, called halal. (Christina House / For The Times)

Chickens and turkeys wait in cages at Al Salam Polleria in Los Angeles.

Chickens and turkeys wait in cages at Al Salam Polleria in Los Angeles. (Christina House / For The Times)

Chickens at Al Salam Polleria. The shop's success, as well as its distinction, can be found in its East L.A. location and in its name — "al salaam" is Arabic for peace, "polleria" is Spanish for poultry shop.

Chickens at Al Salam Polleria. The shop’s success, as well as its distinction, can be found in its East L.A. location and in its name — “al salaam” is Arabic for peace, “polleria” is Spanish for poultry shop. (Christina House / For The Times)

Employees handle two freshly killed chickens at Al Salam Polleria.

Employees handle two freshly killed chickens at Al Salam Polleria. (Christina House / For The Times)

Cecilia Mendez cuts chickens at Al Salam Polleria. It was never the founders' intention to end up in East L.A. But as they would find, it was quite fortunate.

Cecilia Mendez cuts chickens at Al Salam Polleria. It was never the founders’ intention to end up in East L.A. But as they would find, it was quite fortunate. (Christina House / For The Times)

A loose chicken wanders around cages in the back of Al Salam Polleria. Islamic prayers hang behind the cash register and a nearby sign cautions workers, "Cuidado Con el Escalon," or careful with the stairs.

A loose chicken wanders around cages in the back of Al Salam Polleria. Islamic prayers hang behind the cash register and a nearby sign cautions workers, “Cuidado Con el Escalon,” or careful with the stairs. (Christina House / For The Times)

Iman Elrabat-Gabr, right, takes a knife to a chicken as Gustavo Ruiz assists at Al Salam Polleria.

Iman Elrabat-Gabr, right, takes a knife to a chicken as Gustavo Ruiz assists at Al Salam Polleria. (Christina House / For The Times)

Freshly killed chickens wait to be defeathered, cleaned and cut to sale at Al Salam Polleria. The shop only kills chickens according to halal a few times each week -- on an order-by-order basis:

Freshly killed chickens wait to be defeathered, cleaned and cut to sale at Al Salam Polleria. The shop only kills chickens according to halal a few times each week -- on an order-by-order basis: (Christina House / For The Times)

A customer passes by a display case filled with chicken at Al Salam Polleria. For the busy winter season, the polleria hires as many as 10 extra workers to help fill orders for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, Nov. 2.

A customer passes by a display case filled with chicken at Al Salam Polleria. For the busy winter season, the polleria hires as many as 10 extra workers to help fill orders for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, Nov. 2. (Christina House / For The Times)

1/9