Despite the economic hardships caused by the ongoing coronavirus health crisis, business owners are forging ahead and restaurants are beginning to gain momentum. Detroit is welcoming the city’s first East African restaurant in Midtown.
Owned by husband and wife, Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, Baobab Fare brings authentic East African dishes front and center. Not stopping at a just an eatery, the newest restaurant will also be a juice bar and market where East African groceries, produce and other retail items will be sold.
“We are proud to open our doors and bring East African cuisine and culture to our community,” says Mamba. “Baobab Fare is more than a restaurant; it is a gathering place where all are welcomed and embraced. Detroit is our new home.”
Fleeing from Burundi, a small country recovering from civil war and bordering Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the husband and wife were in search of a new life in 2014. Seeking asylum in Freedom House, a Detroit non-profit serving as a temporary home to those who have fled their native countries for the safety of America, the couple began to establish their roots in the city. The idea to launch a restaurant came from Mamba’s participation in the entrepreneurship training program with ProsperUs.
“Nadia and Mamba are an inspiration and ProsperUs is honored that our services and capital helped bring Baobab Fare to life,” said Chanell Scott Contreras, executive director, ProsperUS. “We couldn’t be more excited to see this business add to the richness and diversity of Detroit.”
Baobab Fare was the 2017 recipient of Comerica’s Hatch Detroit Contest. Receiving $50,000 in seed money to help start the business and beating out more than 160 entrepreneurs, the restaurant owners also won pro bono resources and business support.
“Working with Mamba and Nadia to help them open up the restaurant has been an honor,” said Vittoria Katanski, executive director of Hatch Detroit. “They have put so much of themselves into this business — every part curated to welcome patrons as part of the Baobab family. Hatch Detroit looks forward to continuing our support to help ensure the business remains a part of Detroit for years to come.”
To celebrate the restaurant’s opening, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined the couple along with several community partners to cut the ribbon on Detroit’s latest addition to the culinary scene.
“I am thrilled to welcome Detroit’s first East African restaurant, Baobab Fare to New Center,” says Mayor Mike Duggan. “Mamba and Nadia’s journey from Burundi to Detroit is truly inspiring and highlights the great opportunity and support available to Detroit entrepreneurs of all backgrounds through the Motor City Match program.”
The Motor City Match program is a collaborative effort from the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The partnership helps to provide financial assistance to budding businesses across the city. Motor City Match has helped to provide over $8 million in grants to more than 1,400 businesses since its inception.
“Motor City Match has had a tremendous impact on Detroit,” says DEGC president and CEO Kevin Johnson. “More Detroiters are on a path to economic mobility, have been given a chance to pursue their passions and have access to goods and services in their neighborhoods. Moving forward we will use what has been learned to create even stronger support for Detroit’s small business community – the heartbeat of our city.”
Now that the restaurant is officially open to Detroiters, the owners hope to not only provide a taste of East Africa, but provide a safe haven for other immigrants looking for asylum.
Ready for both in-person business and takeout, the restaurant is open seven days a week. Baobab Fare’s menu features a variety of East African dishes, Burundi coffee, fruit juice and hot sauce. Baobab Fare is located in Detroit’s New Center on the corner of East Grand Boulevard and Woodward Avenue at 6568 Woodward Avenue.
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