Homegirl's Hummus, the small-batch chickpea business built by founder Niehla Ollie out of farmers market tents across the Chicago area, is taking a big step: opening its own storefront at 5419 W. 95th Street in Oak Lawn. Along with the new physical home, the business is also rolling out a brand-new flavor.
The storefront and flavor announcement came via WGN-TV's Spotlight Chicago segment, which airs weekdays from 1 to 2 p.m. and featured Ollie discussing the company's next chapter. Homegirl's Hummus has built its name as a maker of handcrafted gourmet hummus that blends tradition with urban flair, and the Oak Lawn address marks the brand's first dedicated retail space after years of market-stand sales.
Ollie makes every batch herself, working from a chickpea base and folding in ingredients that stray far from traditional hummus recipes. Her lineup has included black-eyed peas, roasted garlic, pickled beets, giardiniera, black beans with cumin, and spinach with jalapeño, according to WTTW.
No Tahini, No Preservatives
Ollie has said none of her hummus contains tahini, a choice she describes as a way to accommodate allergies. She has also emphasized that she handles the production herself, telling the station, “I make the product myself, so I know there are no preservatives going in.”
The business runs out of Kitchen Chicago, a shared commercial kitchen space, per the station's report. Ollie has worked there three days a week preparing her hummus with fresh ingredients since early 2021, and she founded the company that same year, according to an earlier account from the same outlet.
A Growing Flavor Roster
Over the years, the flavor list has expanded well beyond the basics. Earlier coverage from Block Club Chicago described a lineup that included Prosperity, a spinach jalapeño variety; Refresh, a lemon garlic basil blend; Zen, a garlic hummus; Sacral, made with sun-dried tomato; and Revolution, a black bean version. That same reporting noted Ollie had just added a sweet potato hummus called Harvest and a roasted red pepper variety called Phoenix the week before publication.
Other varieties have surfaced in later profiles, including Celebration, a black-eyed pea hummus with chipotle and jalapeño peppers, and The Cleo, made with sweet potato and chickpeas and topped with braised collards. The company's own product listings also describe a Chicago Style Hummus — roasted garlic hummus topped with mild giardiniera peppers — reflecting the local spin Ollie has built into much of her menu.
Where To Find Homegirl's Hummus
Before the storefront news, Homegirl's Hummus built its following almost entirely through farmers markets. WTTW reported finding Ollie at markets in Evergreen Park, Tinley Park, and Logan Square, while a separate report from Audacy listed sales in Naperville, Tinley Park, Evergreen Park, Lincoln Park, and Logan Square.
The Oak Lawn storefront would give the brand a permanent address for the first time, a shift from the pop-up and market-stand model Ollie has relied on since the company's early days. Customers can also find current product offerings through the company's website, homegirlshummus.com.
