Nabeel Tabarik on his “crazy” journey that has seen him take over majority of Liverpool
Nabeel Tabarik from Nabzy’s in his Norris Green site(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The owner of a much-loved brand has said “there is no more room for us in Liverpool”. Nabeel Tabarik, from Preston, is the brains behind one of the city’s most popular institutions, Nabzy’s.
The 38-year-old started his empire back in 2016 on Leece Street. Fast-forward to today, and it needs no introduction with thousands of social media fans, a cult-like following among students and the stamp of approval from several high-profile celebrities. Known particularly for its chicken and pizza, the company recently announced it will be expanding into South Road in Waterloo.
This is after already having branches established in the likes of Norris Green, Anfield, Manchester and Chorley.
The ECHO met with Nabeel at his West Derby site to learn about the success of the booming business. The founder said: “We started a long time ago as just kids, really. We started opposite the Bombed Out Church and rocketed from there.
Nabeel Tabarik from Nabzy’s in Norris Green after the brand announced it would be expanding to South Road in Waterloo(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“The rest has been history really but throughout all the years, the people have always remained for us. Everybody has a very important role to play. I’ve always wanted to do business. I’ve always been interested in it, I worked at my dad’s place with my four brothers when I was a teenager.
“But I never thought now we’d be here today. It never works out like that, you never plan it but you just keep going, putting the hard work in and then it just starts growing.
“We were on four sites for many years, but the interest just came, and then we were able to open more. When celebrities and influencers start taking a like to your brand, the whole city gets behind you.
Nabzy’s has a cult-like following among student but also counts some famous faces in its clientele (Image: Liverpool Echo)
“The first really was Sadio Mane. I knew him on a personal level. It was unbelievable, he used to come, park his G-Wagon outside, walk straight through and ask for a half-pound cheeseburger meal. The guys were gobsmacked, asking ‘is that really you?’. He used to take the red salt home with the wing spice and garlic sauce.
“From there, the list just went on. But one thing that stood out to us was when Amelia Dimoldenberg did her first Chicken Shop Date outside of London, here. She did it with KSI. She said she needed a chicken shop on her social media and the amount of comments saying ‘Nabzys, go to Nabzys’, it was crazy.”
Neither Nabeel, nor his team’s, hard work has gone unnoticed. The group are no strangers to winning awards, having been voted the number one student takeaway in the UK on several occasions. A Nabzy’s chicken box was even used as a prop in the Everyman Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet.
Nabzy’s, known for its chicken and pizza, first opened on Liverpool’s Leece Street in 2016.
However, beyond the accolades and novelty ideas, Nabeel prides his brand on delivering something much more meaningful and that’s giving back to the community that allow him to enjoy the success he does today.
He said: “Every chance I get I say it, Liverpool is a special place in our heart. We’ve got no locations left really in the city. Every three or four miles, you will find one of us, you will find a Nabzy’s. We are in most of the areas.
“When we look at new locations, there is none left for us now. It’s a totally different city here, everyone is so welcoming and of very good character.
“We’ve had the same regulars for years. We’ve seen mums get pregnant and then the kids coming in at two and three-years-old. We’ve been in the game for so long we are now seeing their kids. It’s the same cycle and you see the customers going through all these different stages in their lives, it’s so good to see.
Nabeel Tabarik from Nabzy’s in Norris Green
“Everyone keeps coming back and that’s the best thing – we aren’t perfect but we are always trying to better ourselves. A lot of areas, where our shops are, are in deprived areas, and we come from these same places.
“We grew up here and were brought up in council estates ourselves, so to see people spend their hard-earned money here, trying to feed their children and families, it means we need to try our best to get it right. They need to get their money’s worth.”
Nabzy’s is preparing to expand elsewhere in the city, however Nabeel is remaining tight-lipped about what customers can expect for now. The ECHO will be bringing you the updates on the new store when we know more