FORT SNELLING.
MNDOT IS HOPING TO COMPLETE
THIS PROJECT IN HAD JUST ONE
SEASON.
MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO IT
IT WAS THE DREAM OF SOME MIDDLE
EASTERN IMMIGRANTS IN THE TWIN
CITIES.
A TINY GROCERY STORE SELLING
A STRANGE TYPE OF BREAD AND
THIS WEIRD THING CALLED HUMMUS.
TODAY IT'S A MULTIMILLION
DOLLAR NEIGHBORHOOD ANCHOR.
DeRUSHA EATS AT HOLY LAND.
AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING SACK
RELIGIOUS, TAKING A PILGRIMAGE
TO THE HOLY LAND JUST FOR THE
CHICKEN.
SUPER TENDER.
SUPER JUICY.
WOULD LEAVE YOU FULL YET
SOMEHOW EMPTY.
YOU DO EVERYTHING HERE.
YOU'D MISS THE BUTCHER SHOP
AND THE GROCERY STORE THAT
BRINGS MIDDLE EASTERN FLAVORS
TO THE MIDWEST.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT COLD.
AND THE PRODUCTION FACILITY
WHERE EVERY DAY THEY TURN 2500
POUNDS OF CHICK PEAS INTO THE
NOW LEGENDARY HOLY LAND HUMMUS.
THIS IS REALLY THE SECRET TO
WHY THE HUMMUS IS SO GOOD.
EXACTLY.
BECAUSE IT'S MADE IN SUCH SMALL
BATCHES THAT'S WHY IT'S SO
FRESH.
YOU MIGHT MISS THE
HOSPITALITY FROM THREE
GENERATIONS OF THE WADI FAMILY
LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM FOR
MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
THIS IS YOUR BABY.
YEAH.
MAMA FATIMA WADI TOOK THE
RISK.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE WERE GOING TO LIKE IT
BUT SHE USED TO FOLLOW PEOPLE
AND BEG THEM TO TRY HUMMUS.
THAT'S HER GRANDMOTHER.
SHE RUNS THE CATERING AND THE
RESTAURANT.
SAYID IS THIRD GENERATION.
HE RUNS THE GROCERY STORE.
YOU MUST BE SO PROUD TO HAVE
THE WHOLE FAMILY INVOLVED.
DID THE CEO OF HOLY LAND.
WHO KNEW HE WANTED TO REINVENT
THE IDEA OF AN ETHNIC BUSINESS.
THEY'RE ONLY CATERING FOR
THEIR OWN ETHNIC GROUP.
FROM DAY ONE WE DECIDED TO
CONSIDER EVERYBODY IN THE TWIN
CITIES.
EVERYBODY IN MINNESOTA IS OUR
COMMUNITY.
WOOD FIRE AND CHARCOAL.
WE DO THE COMBINATION OF BOTH
WHICH GIVES IT THAT NICE
FLAVOR.
BACK TO THOSE FAMOUS
ROTISSERIE CHICKENS.
THEY MARINATE FOR 72 HOURS IN
MAMA FATIMA'S SEASONING.
THEY'RE CRISPY AND JUICY.
IT'S TOO BEAUTIFUL TO EAT
BUT YOU HAVE TO EAT IT.
HOLY LAND IMPORTS THEIR
MEAT, OWN OLIVE OILS.
THEY MAKE PITA AND LEBANESE
BREADS EVERY DAY.
YOU CAN FIND THAT HUMMUS AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
HOW OFTEN IS THIS RUNNING?
FROM 6:00 TO 6:00 EVERY DAY.
FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
IT'S A LOT OF HUMMUS.
A LOT OF HUMMUS.
NO PRESERVATIVES.
THIS SUN DEFEATED THIS
HUMMUS.
UNDEFEATED.
NOT TO BE BIASED BUT IT IS.
INCREDIBLE QUALITY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S AN
INCREDIBLE FAMILY LEGACY.
MAMA, SONS, GRAND KIDS.
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD OVER IT
AND KEEP GOING.
KEEP GOING.
WE HAVE A VISION.
WE'RE THE YOUNG GENERATION.
WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING GREAT.
I JUST LOVE THAT.
WHAT A TERRIFIC FAMILY.
THAT ORIGINAL STORE FRONT THE
900 SQUARE FOOT SPOT IS
ACTUALLY STILL PRESERVED.
IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY ON CENTRAL
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE PAINT AND
THE BRICK IS DIFFERENT RIGHT
WHERE THEY OPENED.
AND THEY WANT TO HOLD ON TO
THAT HISTORY AND LEGACY.
TODAY OF COURSE IT'S EXPANDED
ALL THE WAY DOWN AS YOU SAW
THERE.
AND THEY'VE CLEANED UP THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD QUITE A BIT TOO.
30 YEARS AGO THAT CORNER WAS,
WELL, IT WAS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT.
AND THEY ACTUALLY BOUGHT OUT A
BAR THAT WAS THERE AND AS PART
OF THE DEAL THEY HAD TO TAKE
THE LIQUOR LICENSE BUT THEY
DIDN'T WANT TO SELL LIQUOR SO
THEY BOUGHT THE LIQUOR LICENSE
AND BURP BURNED IT.
WE BROUGHT IN SOME HUMMUS FOR
YOU TO TASTE IF YOU HADN'T
TRIED BEFORE.
I'M DIGGING IN.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL HERE.
THIS IS JALAPENO.
YOU CAN FIND THIS AT EVERY
GROCERY STORE IN TOWN.
THEY HAVE A ROOM THEY WEREN'T
RUNNING THE DAY WE WERE THERE.
THEY SELL IN COSTCO SO IN
LARGER TUBS.
THEY HAVE A DEDICATED ROOM JUST
FOR THE COSTCO PROJECT BECAUSE
IT'S SO.
VOLUME.
SO MUCH VOLUME.
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT
JUST MAKE A JOURNEY TO GET DOWN
THERE.
IT'S THAT GOOD.
SHE'S NOT BIASED AT ALL.
NO.
THAT THIRD GENERATION THOSE
GRAND KIDS.
THEY'RE IN THEIR MID20S FROM
THAT'S ONE OF THE COOLER PARTS
OF THE STORY IS THAT YOU SEE
THE ENERGY OF THE NEXT
GENERATION TO KEEP IT GOING.
THAT'S REALLY INSPIRING.
TOTALLY.
IT IS FOR SURE.