ZedBlog

BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — Food Land Market opened on the Boise Bench last month, two years after Hana Mutlak and her family decided to open the business.

A lot of work has been done since then to make her dream a reality. She didn't want to just open a grocery store, but something bigger, where people can have a unique cultural experience.

Every day starts with Mutlak grinding two types of coffee beans and cardamom into a fine powder to make each hot cup of Turkish coffee. It's something she learned to do growing up.

"I am from Iraq, Baghdad exactly," Mutlak said.

Many in her family-owned markets and bakeries in Iraq but Mutlak had to leave everything behind to escape war. She moved to Boise with her family 12 years ago to start a new life.

She took pieces of her former life with her.

"I still have a passion to be an owner for the grocery store," Mutlak said. "I grew up with it."

When she moved here she became a barista for several years. After a while, she decided "enough."

"I have to open my own business," Mutlak said. "I don't want to stay just as a grocery store. Grocery store, it's okay. I like it, but I like people who, they come and do shopping, can sit have a coffee or have dinner."

Over the last two years, she and her family have been working to make that happen with real struggles along the way.

Tragedy struck her family directly when nine people were stabbed at the Wylie Street Station apartment in 2018. She isn't able to talk about the incident, because of a gag order in the ongoing case, but says the shop opening was delayed for months.

"We survived until we stand again and we open it," Mutlak said.

The doors opened in late October and she says business is "so good."

She expected many middle eastern customers but word of mouth has helped her business grow.

"I can say 80 percent of my customers, they are American," Mutlak said." Everybody keeps telling each other and I've been asking my customers, where you from? How'd you hear about us? Some of them from Northend, Eagle, Meridian, Boise."

When you step into the market you won't just find food from the middle east.

"it's from Europe, from Turkish, from Asia, from Thailand, from Iran from Israel, everywhere," Mutlak said.

And everything in the restaurant is made from scratch. She says the freshness, variety, and deals make their store unique.

"I have a customer that's originally from Israel and he said 'I've been asking, I've been having my items (sent) from Israel and I'm surprised you have it here.' So he was so happy which makes me so happy," Mutlak said.

Their customers' curiosity and a willingness to try new things is what she loves about her business.

"I like to see everybody here. Doesn't matter where they are from we are working to share our culture," Mutlak said. "I know everybody here in Boise they are open and friendly and they don't mind to come and try our food."

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