Owner of Food Pak International Foods, Reza Hejazi, is at risk of being forced out of the community he has served and called home for over thirty-five years.
Hejazi opened the grocery store and deli when he first signed the lease in 1991. According to Hejazi, about four or five months ago, his landlord decided not to renew the lease and it will expire early next year.
Reza Hejazi owns the wooded lot between Lavretta Park and Maple Street Biscuit Company where he would like to build and relocate the business. It is currently zoned as residential so Hejazi has requested a rezoning to build commercially. He said he will likely go in person to the City of Mobile Planning Commission Meeting on September 17th at 2:00pm, which will also be livestreamed for the public.
Many residents rallied together to support the rezoning, evident in a community petition with nearly 5,000 signatures. “Let’s all rally behind them to show Gina Gregory and the City Council that we support this rezoning and the Food Pak,” writes petition starter Ricki Klyce.
Hejazi expressed gratitude for this support, as it was hard-earned: “At the beginning, it was not easy, but as time goes on, they saw from different lens who I am. And they realize who I am. That’s why I have so many that are supporting me and this move.”
Besides a love for their food and merchandise, many members of the community have built meaningful connections with the Food Pak family. Summer Hancock, longtime resident and customer, shared her anecdotes about Reza: “He’s the sweetest person. I go in there to this day and he asks me about my life, asks me about my dad and like, ‘how are things going?’ She adds, “I hope I can always go there just to feel a taste of home, because that’s what it is to me.”
This sentiment is shared by other locals, like Ivey Welch, who says Food Pak has been there for multiple generations of her family. “They are wonderful human beings. Family-oriented, love children, love the community, hardworking, make great food, just very dependable . . . You just trust them, they’re just part of our community. They’re like family neighbors,” she explained. “Not only do they have a neighborhood business, but they live in our neighborhood, they raised their kids in our neighborhood.”
Even those that move away, like former resident Tatiana Morris, hold Food Pak as an important part of their life, “It just makes me so emotional thinking about losing it. They’re amazing,” she said. “I just hope that whatever happens with anything, that they do well because I still want to be able to get feta dip and have an amazing gyro because their food is just fantastic,” she added.
Hejazi cites the cuisine as another reason people don’t want to see them go. “The type of food that I have, the type of deli items that I make fresh that they love, and that’s why they’re voting for it. They don’t want to lose it,” he said.
Others have raised concern with the rezoning, particularly with traffic patterns, drainage issues, and what a rezone could mean for future businesses moving into the neighborhood. Former Mobile Councilwoman, Bess Rich, commented her concerns of ‘future stability’ in a community Facebook group. She said, “Compatibility with surrounding properties is important. Like traffic patterns, lighting requirements on the property, signage, noise levels and hours of usage.” Even in the controversy, she added, “Maybe there’s a way to make this change work that adds value for everyone. That’s the best part of the community coming together to ensure whatever the change is, it is positive and not negative.”
These concerns still aren’t enough to deter many residents. “Even if it’s an issue – the runoff, the building too big – it’s all on the outskirts of the neighborhood. There’s no reason why it couldn’t be there. It’s not like we’re tearing down residential – it’s a lot,” argued Ivey Welch.
UpLift Mobile will follow this story as it develops at the City of Mobile Planning Commission meeting on September 17th at 2:00pm.