For one month, Sabra Dipping Company is operating a unique pop-up dining experience called Hummus House. Located on busy Wisconsin Avenue in historic Georgetown, the sit-down restaurant will serve lunch and dinner to the public from September 29 to October 26.
Working with production and marketing firm Shared Experiences, Sabra created its pop-up in a retail storefront. The two-story space has been transformed with oversize lantern fixtures, bright colors, murals, and greenery on trellises suspended from the ceiling. The genesis of Sabra Hummus House came from previous Sabra promotions, including a hummus food truck tour, but the Hummus House is a new concept for Sabra. The idea is to introduce people to more ways to use hummus and create a positive impression for anyone trying hummus for the first time. “People know how to dip. They don’t know what else they can do with hummus,” said Shali Shalit-Shoval, the company's C.E.O. “Hummus is more than a product; it’s an experience.”
The pop-up’s menu was devised by Food Network Star finalist Mary Beth Albright and Sabra’s executive research chef, Mary Dawn Wright. Items on the menu include hummus panini, hummus topped with crystallized ginger, and edamame and hummus served warm. Entrees range from $8 to $12, and sides, desserts, and a kids' menu also are offered.
Opening the Hummus House in Washington made sense for multiple reasons, said Tracy Luckow, Sabra's global director of insights and innovation. The company’s plant is located nearby in Chesterfield County, Virginia, so Sabra has local ties. And aside from Washington’s buzzing restaurant scene, being in the city allowed Sabra to invite politicians, congressional staff, and members of the F.D.A., U.S.D.A., and staff from other agricultural and nutritional organizations to visit. Sabra also is staging events at the pop-up, such as a panel discussion with nutritionists about the health benefits of hummus, as well as healthful activities like yoga with Lululemon and a workout class with 305 Fitness. The pop-up also has a charitable component: A minimum of $25,000 of proceeds from the Hummus House will be donated to Future Farmers of America scholarships.
The look of the Hummus House came directly from Luckow’s recent visit to the Mediterranean. “I took some inspirations from places that I saw,” said Luckow, noting the pop-up’s bright colors were inspired by fruits, vegetables, and spices. Local artist Nancy Ray Taylor created a mural upstairs as well as the faux finish on the bricks, while local artist Kerry Cesen created a mural downstairs.
The restaurant’s inviting feel is designed to draw people in. “It’s a sit-down restaurant, which is really unusual for a pop-up, and really unusual for hummus,” Luckow said.
Sabra has welcomed customer input and feedback into the experience. Facebook users helped name the Hummus House, and diners at the pop-up could help Sabra develop a new flavor of hummus or encourage it to take the pop-up on the road. “As of now, this is a D.C.-only experience,” a brand rep told BizBash. “But we are here to share great food and conversation, to learn and listen, so we are definitely listening to our customers as they share their thoughts about the Hummus House experience.”