Atigh Ould understands and respects the value of community. He understands its importance, its role in growing a business and its power when it comes to love and support. With that in mind, Atigh realized that he wanted to do something good for his community; he wanted to give back. And so on a beautiful Thursday evening in April, he did just that.
Atigh invited anyone and everyone from his Facebook community to a free tasting of all of the new dishes at his Mile End restaurant, La Khaima. On April 27th, his restaurant filled with Facebook users, some that had eaten at La Khaima before, others who were just discovering what this Fairmount Street restaurant has to offer. The night was filled with good food, good music and good times.
“Facebook is the strongest form of community; it’s how you stay in touch with those you don’t see every day, it’s how you let others know of your successes and failures and share your favourite memories.” Atigh said. “Facebook helps spread the word of La Khaima every day, so I thought it was important to give back. I came up with the concept and really wanted to go through with it. And so we set a date, and the concept was met with positive feedback.”
La Khaima is a Mauritanian eatery where diners sit on low, pillow-clad booths and share family-sized platters of African food, such as chicken, lamb and vegetable tajines. The restaurant is perfect for large groups, where they can eat at a long, low table and enjoy a true nomadic experience. All the great food can be washed down with Atigh’s unique refreshing drink made from a hibiscus flower and mint tea. The setting was perfect for this special night, where diners, some who knew each other, others who didn’t, ate together and got to enjoy this special community gathering. When Atigh first came up with the concept, he created a Facebook Event page that was met with positive feedback. “Wow, where else would you find this kind of spirit in the world? Pure generosity, thank you!” said one Facebook user.
And so the night went perfectly, with people lined up on the street outside the restaurant, waiting to come in and see what Atigh and La Khaima had to offer. And they weren’t disappointed.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart Atigh for this magical evening. I was so happy to discover La Khaima and its magical spirit filled with all the happiness, fun and caring that defines African life” said one attendee. “Thank you La Khaima! The food was really delicious and the night was spent in charming company of perfect strangers, all joyous about the generosity of this meal!” said another.
In this day of Social Media, it is rare to see business owners take full advantage of its uses, and even when they do, it’s mostly for their own benefit. But Atigh really understands the true value of Facebook: community. And community is not just about taking, it’s also about giving. And so Atigh Ould did just that, and he did it well.
It’s important for business owners to remember that one small, positive action can create a ripple effect of positivity. “I do see a difference since that night; more people are talking about La Khaima on Social Media, we’ve had first-time diners who heard about that special evening come in to see what we’re about” Atigh says. While the goal of this free night was neither to attract new customers nor boost business, it did end up having that effect on La Khaima. “I’ve heard nothing but good things since that night; everybody who was there went home happy, and those who missed it wish for another one.”
Atigh says he would do it again in a heartbeat. Small business owners can definitely learn from this endeavor: while some may balk at the thought of free meals, showing respect and giving back to their Social Media communities can lead to great things.
