Da Right Stuff

A Logan café owner does his part to set a positive example for the neighborhood.

by Makia Harper

(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

In Northwest Philly, on the corner of 16th and Wyoming, stands what appears to be a tiny takeout joint — not uncommon in this neighborhood. But step inside and you'll realize that Logan's Da Famly Café is anything but typical — the modest, minimally furnished shop carries the intimate feel of a Center City coffeehouse, with wooden dining tables, an open kitchen, three Internet stations, a mounted LCD television and a brightly patterned window curtain looking out onto an outdoor veranda.

There's no business quite like it in Logan, an area with a rough reputation. And owner Ahmad Abdullah hopes that others will soon follow his lead.

Abdullah, 34, who had prior experience renovating properties, bought the building in November 2002, and nine months later, converted the ground floor into a bodega called Da Famly Store while renting out the top spaces as apartments. But after three years of selling typical corner-store products like candy, packaged snacks, cleaning supplies and lunch meat, Abdullah became discouraged by the lack of profits and clientele.

It was difficult to distinguish himself from the competition in terms of what he offered customers, he says, especially since he refused to sell tobacco products, which generate massive revenue in the convenience business. "I would make 6 cents off a bag of chips," says Abdullah. "And with sodas, if you drink two or three [yourself], you lose your profit. You drink five, you're cutting into your capital."

The entrepreneur decided he needed to do something to make his spot stand out. "I wanted to create a place that I would like to go to and relax," he says. "I wanted to build something unexpected here." So in August 2006, he remodeled the store into its current incarnation, Da Famly Café. He got rid of the bodega products to make room for his strong suit — real cooking. The café now offers a full menu of American and African-American-inspired dishes made to order — all-day breakfast, an assortment of lunch sandwiches and wraps, and dinner choices like Cornish game hen, stuffed salmon, chicken Neptune, barbecue ribs and turkey meat loaf. Abdullah, who learned how to cook from his mother, does most of the work himself, with occasional help from his cousin.

And he's not just a chef and business owner, either. The North Philly native can also be called an educator, father and husband — roles that have since become intertwined with his business. Abdullah graduated from Temple in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in education; he currently works as a K-12 teacher and a supervisor for the state's home schooling programs. He often brings his students to the café so they can use the Internet, since many families in the area do not have the Web at home. "I want to give people access to information," he says. "That is why I put computers in the café. ... I want people to be informed." Abdullah charges customers $5 per half-hour of Internet use.

Da Famly Café's name is dedicated to, and inspired by, Abdullah's desire to provide for his own — he has two daughters, Saniyah and Cierra, whom he hopes will someday take over the business. The deliberate misspelling is a case of a teacher poking gentle fun at the way he's always heard his relations say "the family." But the name also represents the communal family feel he wants to share with his customers. Since converting into a café, Abdullah has noticed a positive change in his clientele. "[There's] more of a mature crowd, attracting parents [and] students," he says. Previously, the corner was a hangout for local thugs; Da Famly Café's face-lift, however, seems to have discouraged such individuals from coming around.

Abdullah is committed to providing and sustaining a positive atmosphere — and contributing similar values to the area. He holds firm to a list of "house rules" posted above the Internet stations. No. 3 prohibits vulgar language; another rule stresses the importance of patience and respect for workers, fellow patrons and the space itself.

On a larger level, Abdullah hopes that Da Famly Café's values become a vehicle for change in a neighborhood forced to deal with violence, poverty and a gradual decline in commerce and resources. "I would like to aid in redeveloping the neighborhood, and to urge others to bring business to this area," he says.

"I am attached here. I have put a lot of hard work, tears and sweat into this place," adds Abdullah. "And it's where I'd like to stay."

(editorial@citypaper.net)

Da Famly Café, 1525 W. Wyoming Ave., 267-385-7856, dafamilycafe.lbu.com.