After opening in July of last year, Mama’s Market & Deli has become a small, yet beloved part of the Hamline community. Located just a 10 minute walk away from campus, Mama’s Market is an easy option for both students looking for a delicious meal alternative and for those needing to restock their pantries.
The store was originally opened by nine mothers (and one husband) and is fully operated by the women who started the business. Co-owner Amina Fadlalla was the one who originally found the space after taking classes at African Economic Development Solutions, a group that focuses on supporting African communities through community building and economic development.
“After I took the class, they said they have a place to rent. I applied for that, for a small store for the cultural clothes,” Fadlalla said.
This original plan for a cultural clothing store quickly changed, however, once Fadlalla saw the larger space. After speaking with family friends—the other co-owners—the store became something much bigger.
“Everybody has a dream, it’s inside, but they don’t know how to take it out. When we got this chance, everybody said ‘Okay, I’ll work, I’ll work!’ and we talked to each other and we decided to work together,” Fadlalla said.
With that, Mama’s Market & Deli was formed, with the nine women pledging to work a few shifts every week, despite all of them having second jobs and families, in order to make their dream a reality. Though due to a lack of publicity, the customer rate has been slow-growing, as co-owner Sofia Kelil points out.
“We need more people to know us, so still working on that,” Kelil said.
The people who do know Mama’s Market love the store. Junior Frog Tolstad is a regular at Mama’s Market and has nothing but glowing words for the small store.
“I’m really glad that [Mama’s Market] is in the Hamline/Midway neighborhood. I think it’s really cool that it is here. All the people I’ve met there were really nice, and I like the food,” Tolstad said.
The store itself is located in Little Africa Plaza on Snelling Ave., and offers multiple services, from Fadlalla’s cultural clothing store to coffee with beans that are roasted in-store daily. Mama’s Market is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
