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Cafe face 'difficult situation' as they choose to relocate

The sisters said it was the right time for them to move on from the Baltic Triangle

[Noura and Futoon Qusairy run Yamama]

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Noura and Futoon Qusairy run Yamama(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

A popular caf has issued a thank-you message to customers as it announced its plans to upscale. When Futoon Qusairy moved to the city for university, she didn't imagine she would make the city her home.

Futoon and her sister Noura Qusairy both moved from Irbid in Jordan to study in Liverpool, drawn by their family's love of The Reds. Noura went on to complete her Master's in Project Management at the University of Liverpool, while Futoon has a Master's in Fashion and Art Direction.

Having graduated, together they set up Yamama - a Middle Eastern caf and kitchen that has called the Baltic Triangles Parliament Street home for a number of years. However, this site is set to close on Sunday, August 2. But it isn't bad news, as the branch will reopen in September within a 10-minute walk of the current site at an as yet undisclosed location.

Futoon, 32, told the ECHO: To be honest, we've been through a lot since we opened. Weve had a few building issues, and its not the landlords fault, but it has been a difficult situation.

[The caf is opposite Camp and Furnace]

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The caf is opposite Camp and Furnace(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

We see this as an opportunity to move on. It's a great chance for us to grow, expand and relocate to a busier area. It really does feel like a blessing in disguise.

"We've built up a fantastic group of regular customers. Every weekend we look around the caf and see the same familiar faces coming back, which we absolutely love. So many people have already told us they'll continue to support us in the new location.

Yamana was developed from the sisters after working with refugees in the city. Working in refugee camps in Jordan, the siblings initially set up the space as an artistic business which would support refugees in Liverpool and provide a creative outlet for them.

They worked with artisans to produce sustainable fashion and art, but have now turned their attention to food and drink, while creating a venue to host their creative endeavours.

As well as serving Middle Eastern-inspired dishes and drinks, the Baltic Triangle venue acts as a hub for artists who work with the sisters.

The caf is modern and stylish, with a number of nods to the sisters' Jordanian heritage. Its name, Yamama, is an Arabic word, which Futoon explained is a dove found in the region, which represents love, freedom and peace.

[Yamama Cafe on Parliament Street]

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Yamama Caf on Parliament Street(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

The caf is very much a place of peace. Jazz plays over the speakers while people inside eat lunch and chat, as others work at their laptops with a cup of mint tea. Futoon said: "For us, Liverpool gave us a lot, and now it feels like home. We wanted this space to feel like home for everyone who comes in."

Noura first moved to Liverpool in 2015, and Futoon followed to do her Masters degree. Having found communities and spaces which helped them make the city their home, providing a sense of belonging for others who have moved to Merseyside is what drives them.

Futoon added: "We're trying to offer the same thing to the city that the city offered to us. It's very diverse, we made friends from all over the world - from Latin America, from China, from Thailand, from Taiwan and we want at the same time to be multicultural.

"Everyone is welcome, we want everyone to feel at home. We want to help students - when we were students, we knew nothing, it can be lonely.

In a thanks to the customers that made the Baltic Triangle site as successful as it is, the sisters are hosting a goodbye party on Friday, July 31.

[Yamama Cafe on Parliament Street]

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Yamama Caf on Parliament Street(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

Futoon said: Most of our regulars already travel to visit us, so moving won't be an issue for them. Even people who live nearby are happy because we'll only be around 10 to 15 minutes away. Our final day at the current caf will be August 2. We'll then spend around a month renovating the new premises, so we're hoping to reopen in September.

"As a thank you to everyone who's supported us, we're holding a farewell party on July 31, with free food for all our customers. I also wanted to say a huge thank you to the Liverpool Echo. The first time we were featured, about three years ago, it made a massive difference to our business.

We started seeing more customers, and even today people still come in and tell us they first heard about us through the Echo. It really means a lot, and we're incredibly grateful for all the support."

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