The Habibi Chicken team has announced it has closed its Wagga store. Photo: Facebook.
Popular Wagga charcoal chicken shop Habibi Chicken has temporarily closed its doors after three successful years in operation.
Owners Farhan and Mariam Rehman say they are looking to embark on new projects locally and that the store could continue in another guise with a new team.
Mariam confirmed its sister store in Preston, Melbourne, would remain open for the time being, and did not rule out a return to Wagga sometime in the future.
“Both Farhan and I have got projects that we’re personally working on, and also lots of changes in our lives that are happening,” Mariam said.
“We really wanted another location that was a little bit bigger, but we were finding it quite hard to find a good spot.
“We weren’t able to really find one, so we kind of listened to the universe a bit and thought, if things aren’t lining up, then maybe it’s just not the right time.”
The Wagga shop opened its doors in September 2022 and quickly became a one of the town’s most popular venue.
Habibi always looked to honour its Wagga roots, naming several of its menu items after the region, including the Wagga Roll and The Larry Wrap, named after the late local larrikin Larry Skewes.
A little over two years after the Wagga store opened, Habibi expanded, with its second store opening in Preston, Melbourne in February 2025.
Habibi Chicken supported many Wagga locals, including sponsoring local mountain bike rider Josef Winkler. Photo: Habibi Facebook.
Mariam said she believed the store made a lasting impression.
“Since the announcement, we’ve gotten some really kind messages from customers,” she said.
“When we opened, we really wanted to show something different in the regions, which I think we did a good job with. Most importantly, we wanted to bring a different kind of cultural flair and go beyond your traditional cafes and things like that.
“It clearly resonated with a lot of people. So many people, who I don’t even know, have reached out to say how much of an impact it had.”
Local cyclist and brand ambassador for Habibi, Josef Winkler, said it would be more than just the chicken that would be missed, stating that the work the shop did with the community was a major reason people loved Habibi so much.
“Habibi has done a lot for the community. They even, not long ago, held a community dinner for people in need, which was pretty cool,” he said.
“Their uniqueness would certainly be missed, because it’s definitely not KFC and it’s definitely not Oporto. It’s got a very unique charcoal flavour.
“Three years is very good for a small business in this day and age, but the fact that it is closing now is very upsetting.
“It just goes to show how hard running a small business can be.”
