The House That Pita Built
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A former Iranian air force pilot, Amiran emigrated with his wife and three children in 1985. “I decided I wanted an easier life for my kids,” he says. They moved to Chicago, where he started an import business in Mediterranean food products. Located in Elk Grove Village–for its proximity to the airport, the highway, and rail lines–Golden Foods began by selling items like chickpeas, tahini, and rice to Middle Eastern restaurants around the city. In 1992 Amiran saw the opportunity to branch out: his customers needed freshly baked bread.
In 1995 the Amirans expanded again, opening a market in the front of the bakery. There they offer a mix of hard-to-find canned goods–stocking the shelves with help from the import business, which is still going strong–and a full deli of items like baba ghannouge, tabbouleh, hummus, and various yogurt sauces. In 1997 Shahla moved to Chicago and joined the business.
Casablanca Bakery is at 1541 W. Devon, 773-764-7482.
