Vavela Cafe and Chex Grill & Wings are expanding to 555 Mangum in Durham, where the sibling-owned concepts have leased two separate suites totaling approximately 9,500 square feet. Both locations are expected to open by the end of 2026, according to the Triangle Business Journal.
Co-owner Khaled Shamma, who operates both brands alongside his brother, told the publication the team was drawn to the development because of its foot traffic and growing activity in the area.
The Durham expansion follows another recent move for Vavela Cafe, which has also signed a lease for a location at 4500 Western Boulevard in Raleigh. Shamma told the publication he expects both the Raleigh and Durham Vavela locations to open before the end of the year.
Inspired by a café the family discovered during a trip to Istanbul, Vavela Cafe debuted its first Charlotte location in early 2025. The Turkish-inspired concept serves specialty coffee drinks, including pistachio lattes, alongside paninis, frappes, kunafa and other desserts. According to the company’s website, the brand is also planning another Charlotte location, as well as future openings in New Jersey and South Carolina.
According to the Triangle Business Journal, Chex Grill & Wings has grown to 21 locations across the Carolinas and Tennessee since Shamma opened the first restaurant in Charlotte in 2014. The restaurant serves wings, burgers, salads and other casual fare. The Durham restaurant will join the brand’s existing Triangle location at 3006 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh.
Shamma told the publication that he is reinvesting revenue from the business into the expansion and sees additional growth opportunities across the Triangle, with Cary among the markets under consideration for a future location.
