Demetrius Goudelock is a young man with a vision. He’s found his passion in his family, his work, and his community. He’s among that rare breed of young men who has a strong sense of who he is and where he’s going. Goudelock knows definitely what he wants and he has a plan in place to achieve a successful outcome. Goudelock has had to overcome his share of roadblocks, and he’s done so with grace and extreme humility. Let’s just say for this young man redemption is about moving forward, leaving some things behind; but, never ever forgetting from whence you came.
It hasn’t always been that way for Goudelock, who is the proprietor of two takeout restaurants located in the Market Place in Chester. His first restaurant, Hummdiggity’s, originally located at 2704 West 3rd Street, opened in 2016. When plans to purchase the property at that location fell through due to unscrupulous negotiations by the seller, he moved his business to its current location in the Market Place. “The thing I love most about being in this location, surrounded by other vendors, is that we all believe in helping each other. It’s more collaborative than competitive. Yes, we’re all here to make a living and support our families; but, we don’t compete against one another. We all celebrate each other’s successes,” stated Goudelock. He recently opened his second business enterprise adjacent to Hummdiggity’s.
The new endeavor is Jerry’s Hoagies, aptly named for his father, whom he credits with instilling in him culinary knowledge and the meaning of hard work. Originally from Gainesville, Georgia, Humza (as he prefers to be addressed) arrived in Chester in 2006. Deciding to make it home, he settled in with his wife Coretha Clay and their children to pursue the dream of entrepreneurship. Humza means “Heart of a Lion.” He and his wife are parents to 8 children; 4 girls and 4 boys ranging in age from 13 through 24. Family is very important to Humza and each of his businesses is a family business, with each family member working in the business and being trained on operations from the most mundane task to the most crucial task. Being trained in the family business gives them a strong foundation for the future. Both parents have an entrepreneurial spirit. We were surprised to learn that Coretha Clay is an experienced seamstress and talented tailor operating a shop at 2718 West 3rd Street in Chester. This came to light in the midst of our conversation. Her work is classic, innovative and she’s capable of making her own patterns.
Paying homage to his father by naming the sandwich shop after him would certainly have made his dad proud, as would the caliber of the sandwiches that Jerry’s serves. The Nigerian Hoagie was by far one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. The meat was of the best quality, and the other ingredients were fresh. This was the first time I’d ever heard of or eaten a Nigerian Hoagie. Once you’ve had a sandwich made by Jerry’s, I guarantee you’ll return for more. They also sell fresh salads and produce. Fresh cold cuts are available sliced to order. It’s worth mentioning that none of Humza’s restaurants sell pork products of any kind. This makes him uniquely equipped to service the culinary needs of the Muslim community here in Chester.
Hummdiggity’s menu offers up an eclectic mix from its breakfast selections to its lunch and dinner fare. Each dish speaks to your taste buds. Breakfast is served from 9 am – 12 pm, lunch from 12 pm – 6 pm, and dinner from 12 pm- 6 pm. People are raving about the fried rice dishes prepared with chicken, salmon, shrimp, fish, or a combination of any. The salmon cheesesteak also elicits high praise. “I learned to cook from my grandmother and my father. My family was always cooking. Coming from the South, it was just what we did.” My grandmother is a phenomenal woman, even at 86 years old, when she speaks I listen,” says Humza. His deep and abiding love and respect for his grandmother and his wife are clearly evident when he speaks of either. He took some time off earlier this summer to take his grandmother on a vacation and delighted in recounting her joy at staying in a hotel overlooking the ocean. Of his wife he says, “I wouldn’t have this business had it not been for unwavering faith, endless support and refusal to give up on me…on us, on our family.”
Humza said that he’s had no challenges throughout the pandemic. He believes that since he’s a smaller business he was free from some of the problems that larger establishments had to face. There was no indoor seating at the Market Place, and since a good portion of his business is takeout, he felt he didn’t lose much. People have to eat, and a lot of folks don’t cook, so being able to cater to the foot traffic had a positive effect on the business. As was the case when he first started in 2016. His reputation for delivering a stellar product spread by word of mouth, and the rest is history.
Humza recounted a story to me about being in a barbershop for a haircut shortly after opening and overhearing some young men betting as to how it would be before his business failed. He didn’t acknowledge them, so they hadn’t a clue that he was the owner of Hummdiggity’s, and most importantly; he hasn’t failed and isn’t planning on it.
Both Hummdiggity’s and Jerry’s Hoagies are located in the Market Place at 2300 West 4th Street in Chester along with The Den (Hummdiggity’s Late Night Takeout). The Den’s hours are Friday and Saturday only from 9 pm to 2 am. Be sure to check out the Den’s “Fried Oreos,” a delicious treat.
