"Razavi had been a regular customer at the market ever since he moved to Berkeley in 1976 from his hometown, Yazd, Iran, to attend San Jose State University. At that time,Middle East Market was the only place where Persian and Iranian immigrants could find familiar products from home, including teas, spices, sweets and rice, and it became a cultural and culinary hub for the Iranian community."
"Unable to finish his education, he started driving taxi cabs to earn a steady living. He worked at Friendly Cab company for over 20 years, saved enough to buy the business and enjoyed connecting with people from all walks of life,until Uber took a big bite out of the taxi business.At a loss for a new direction, his wife, Madeline (a psychotherapist), wisely suggested he consider buying Middle East Market and turning it into "something special.""
Hossein Razavi, a 68-year-old Iranian immigrant, co-owns Middle East Cafe on San Pablo Avenue, opened in July as an expansion of Middle East Market. Razavi first came to Berkeley in 1976 from Yazd, Iran, and relied on Middle East Market for familiar foods and community connection. The 1979 revolution and his father's death interrupted his studies; he returned in 1983 and later drove taxis for over 20 years, then bought the taxi company. After Uber disrupted his taxi business, his wife encouraged him to buy Middle East Market in 2015, renovate it, make his son co-owner and add a kitchen.
Read at The Oaklandside
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