Let's Hummus Water Street location (Image: Elizabeth MacLeod)
Lebanese restaurant Let’s Hummus is moving to 44 Water Street, from its Main Street location where they opened two years ago.
The move will also be an expansion for the restaurant. “It’s way bigger than the other place,” said owner Alex Haran, “It has two floors, seating areas and it’s a nice spot.”
An uptown location is a positive step forward after the main beam of its Ocean Westway location collapsed. Plans are currently paused for its Express location in order to decide whether the landlord will fix the beam or to demolish the building and build at a new location.
The Main Street restaurant will not be let go; it will instead be used for catering big orders and baklava distribution.
The restaurant’s expansion uptown was planned well before the COVID-19 pandemic and was almost complete before the province instituted quarantine. Let’s Hummus received its operating license from the city and is awaiting the green light from the health department. Haran said he hopes to open the uptown location in two weeks.
Haran says the first ten days after the provincial closures were horrible and uncertain, but adds he got his business back on track after starting a new delivery system, no contact pickup and free delivery.
“We came up with ideas to keep rolling and we are willing, if it takes longer, to go further,” he said.
Hummus’ regular contest, posted on their Facebook page, followed a quarantine theme where to have a chance of winning a four-person meal, participants have to comment about something that they learned during the pandemic and send a photo of them doing something at home.
The restaurant has plans to become the first in Saint John where customers can place their orders order live on YouTube and watching the kitchen prepare your order until it leaves the restaurant.
“We have the live channel so we might do it in the new location; when I really don’t know when, but we will do that,” shared Haran. “It is unique and makes people feel comfortable.”
This story was originally published on Huddle.Today – an Acadia Broadcasting Limited content partner.
