Saleh Shahini - Madina

My great-grandfather, Mohammad al-Masry, owned a bakery in Madina. Upon his passing, none of his children had learned the skills from the bakery except for his granddaughter, my mother, Abeer.

My mother had a deep love for the bakery in Madina and her dream was to revive traditional Madani food and drink, thereby preserving the city’s heritage. About 13 years ago, she started making and selling traditional pastries and other items from home, which were very well received. Gradually, she built up her business.

My mother had a dream to open a space people could visit with a unique Madani design and flavour. So, we took an old house that is a listed building near the Haram and transformed it into the space my mother envisioned and named it ‘Taqmera’.

Taqmera’s style evokes a bygone era and entering it feels like stepping back in time. You will find many historical elements in both the furniture and design. For instance, we retained the original air vent that regulates airflow, a traditional feature from before the advent of air conditioning. Other items in the building have been restored to their former glory.

The original owner of the house was Sheikh Ghazi Saleh Al-Maghathawi. His father’s house was next to his, so he made a door between the two houses so he could visit his father daily and attend to his needs. When we heard this story from Sheikh Ghazi himself, we honored this noble act by installing a window in its place and naming it ‘Bab al Bir’ (‘The Door of Righteousness/Kindness’).