Written by Emily Glaser | Photos by Anthony Harden
Thanks to a pair of immigrant brothers—Hashim and Farouk Badr—two of downtown Asheville’s anchor establishments remain beacons of karma, kindness, and balance.
The idea of destiny has been debunked. No longer do we see ourselves as mere feathers on a breeze of circumstances, but rather foremen consciously dictating the paths of our lives—which makes it all the more deliciously serendipitous when our paths do tread the lines of stereotype.
Hence the charm of Asheville’s Badr brothers, who fit as snugly into their roles of big brother-little brother as engine pistons or rubber gloves. Hashim, the dignified elder draped in blazers and airs of the studious professor, acts with slow intention and carefully planted words, steps, and smiles. Farouk, aka Frank, sports a baseball cap that seems to befit his name; he speaks quickly, sincerely, and frenetically, and proffers a roguish grin at whim. Even their professions align with providence: Hashim, the pharmacist; Frank, the restaurateur; careers that feel almost fictional in their aptness.
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