Detroit entrepreneur revives vacant building with fresh, made-to-order concept backed by $50,000 Motor City Match grant

• Yousef Alagi, owner of Holy Bowly, was inspired by his family’s deep roots in Detroit’s food industry, including his father’s decades of work at Lafayette Coney Island 

• Holy Bowly offers fresh, cooked-to-order bowls with Yemeni-inspired flavors, featuring house-made sauces, marinated meats and locally sourced ingredients 

• Motor City Match awarded Alagi $50,000 to complete final improvements needed to open, including inventory, signage and site upgrades 

• The restaurant brings a healthier dining option to Cadillac Heights neighborhood 

APRIL 27, 2026 (DETROIT) – Mayor Mary Sheffield and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) today celebrated the opening of Holy Bowly, a fast-casual restaurant founded by Detroit entrepreneur Yousef Alagi. The establishment is supported by a $50,000 Motor City Match cash grant and marks the program’s 204th ribbon cutting. 

A homecoming on E. McNichols 

For Alagi, the opening is deeply personal. 

He grew up just minutes from the restaurant’s location, in the same neighborhood where the building stands today. The space, once home to a local Coney Island, had sat vacant and deteriorating for years before he bought it. The original owner was even a neighbor of his growing up, making the opportunity to bring the building back to life feel like a full-circle moment. 

“This is home for me,” Alagi said. “When I had the opportunity to do something here, I wanted to give back to the same community I grew up in.” 

That once-empty space, located at 2801 E McNichols, has been transformed into Holy Bowly, a restaurant built around freshness, flavor and intention. The concept brings a healthier dining option to the area, offering halal, made-to-order meals inspired by Yemeni cooking. Meats and vegetables are sautéed together to build flavor, using recipes and spice blends rooted in Alagi’s upbringing. 

The menu features halal meats marinated for up to 72 hours, house-made sauces and ingredients sourced from local vendors, with a strong emphasis on Eastern Market suppliers for fresh produce. Its most popular item, the Concrete Jungle Bowl, offers a Detroit-inspired take on a classic rice bowl, with top-secret family seasoning. 

Holy Bowly’s presence is important in a section of the city where healthy dining options have historically been limited. 

“Yousef put his money where his heart was,” Sheffield said prior to the event. “He took a building that had been sitting empty for years and turned it into something the whole neighborhood can be proud of.” 

A family legacy that sparked a dream 

Alagi grew up watching his father work Detroit’s restaurant industry, including years at Lafayette Coney Island. That upbringing built in him a passion for cooking and a drive to build something of his own. 

“I didn’t want to work for anyone. I wanted my own business,” said Alagi. “Holy Bowly is about bringing fresh, flavorful food to the community and giving people a healthier option right here in the neighborhood.” 

The concept was born during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Alagi began refining his vision for a restaurant centered on fresh, bold flavors. The name "Holy Bowly" came from his children, who gave the brand its personality and its family-forward feel. 

DEGC helps Holy Bowly get to opening day 

Opening the business required navigating a complex process. Alagi connected with the DEGC during the pandemic through its District Business Liaisons, who helped him work through City requirements and overcome challenges associated with reopening a long-vacant site. 

With additional support from lenders including ProsperUs, Michigan Women Forward and Invest Detroit, Alagi secured the financing needed to acquire and build out the space. The final push to reach opening came through a $50,000 Motor City Match grant in Round 23. 

“That $50,000 was the final push,” Alagi said. “It helped us finish everything we needed to get open. Without it, we wouldn’t be here.” 

The funding allowed Alagi to complete critical items needed to open, including inventory, signage and site improvements required for approval. 

“Yousef took his experience, his culture and his connection to the community and turned it into a business that fills a real need. Holy Bowly is a great example of how local entrepreneurs are driving Detroit’s growth from the ground up,” said Sean Gray, DEGC senior vice president of Small Business Services, which manages the Motor City Match program. 

“When Invest Detroit and our CDFI ecosystem partners came together to support Holy Bowly, we saw exactly the kind of entrepreneur this community was built for, someone with the vision, perseverance, and execution to bring a bold concept to life,” said Jason Barnett, SVP Lending, Invest Detroit. “Yousef's 30 years of experience and his commitment to bringing fresh, quality food to Detroit's McNichols corridor made this an easy partnership to believe in, and we are proud to have played a role in making it a reality.” 

Beyond serving food, Alagi has already begun giving back to the community through initiatives such as back-to-school backpack drives, partnerships with local organizations and plans for future customer appreciation events. Future goals include adding fresh juice and smoothie offerings, expanding the current space and eventually opening a second location on Detroit’s west side. 

“I grew up in Detroit my whole life, and I felt like we were heading in the right direction. I just had to be a part of that comeback,” Alagi said. 

Through 30 rounds of Motor City Match: 

• Total cash grants: $21 million (Total leveraged investment: $111 million) 

• 84% of awardees are minority-owned 

• 72% are women-owned 

• 70% are owned by Detroit residents 

About Motor City Match 

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com