Afro Deli Owner to Open Upscale Eatery in Alexandria
The owner of the popular Afro Deli is launching a new upscale East African restaurant named Martiya. The new venture is set to open this July in Alexandria, at the prominent intersection of Lake and Nicollet. Owner Abdirahman Kahin aims to bring a more refined dining experience to the area.
Afro Deli founder Abdirahman Kahin is no stranger to the national stage. In 2023, he was named the National Small Business Person of the Year, an honor presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration that included a recognition ceremony at the White House with President Biden. Kahin's journey began when he immigrated to the United States from Djibouti in 1996. He launched his first Afro Deli in Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in 2010, aiming to introduce a fusion of African, Mediterranean, and American flavors to the Twin Cities. The fast-casual Afro Deli model has since expanded to four locations across the Twin Cities and a spot at the Minnesota State Fair. The restaurants are known for offering a pan-African menu where all dishes are prepared Halal. Beyond business success, Kahin has focused on community reinvestment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Afro Deli provided free meals to elderly and disabled community members and established partnerships with organizations like Meals on Wheels and Minnesota Central Kitchen. Kahin's business acumen was tested during the pandemic, forcing a pivot to a grab-and-go model. This new direction led to supplying grab-and-go products to 15 stores across the metro area and eight stores within the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. The new restaurant's location at Lake and Nicollet in Minneapolis is part of a significant, 10-acre redevelopment project managed by the city. The site, formerly home to a Kmart, has been a major focus for community-oriented revitalization and reconnecting the street grid for decades.
