Mama's Market and Deli opens July 29

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." "They have kids, they have families, but they decided to start their own business and they need our support," observed Gene Gelgelu (above) of the African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS) during the ribbon cutting event. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

The Midway Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Ermias Tekle and Tetra Constantino of Elsa's House of Sleep and Hillary Combs-Ogeman of Associated Bank at the ribbon-cutting of Mama's Market & Deli on June 29, 2025. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

The Midway Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and staff celebrate with Mama's Market and Deli on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. Ambassadors include Mitchell Lallier of S & L Team Cleaning, Tetra Constantino and Ermias Tekle of Elsa's House of Sleep, Midway Chamber Executive Director Chad Kulas, Hillary Combs-Ogeman of Associated Bank, Tesha M. Christensen of the Midway Como Frogtown Monitor, Ana Powers of the Midway Chamber, and Pam Bintzler of Ideal Printers.

Six of the nine mamas behind Mama's Market & Deli inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting and samples on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Mama's Market & Deli opens with a ribbon-cutting on July 29, 2025 inside Little Africa Plaza at 678 Snelling Ave N in St. Paul. The new business is run by nine mamas. The deli offers fresh sandwiches and smoothies – and customers can opt for "mama's sauce." (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)