MINOT—For Christine Staley, there’s always been “Magic” in Minot. She and her husband moved to Minot in 2013 leaving her TV Production career and beloved Miami Beach behind. “Miami is known as the other magic city” according to Christine. However, “I always tell people that I came from one magic city to another, but this magic city is where all my dreams came true, so this is my favorite magic city,” she said.
“I always tell people that I came from one magic city to another, but this magic city is where all my dreams came true, so this is my favorite magic city.” Christine Staley, Magic City Hoagies and Magic City Sweets owner
Her love of food, combined with her personality, led her straight into the food business, and in October 2014 she opened Magic City Hoagies, a unique sandwich shop that carries Staley’s signature Hoagies. Magic City Hoagies has different demographic groups. According to Staley, “On-line delivery is mostly women who order, but if you were going to ask me who walks into my door, it’s more men,” Staley explained. “And the military just loves us! They are truly my favorite group to serve because they love regional and global flavors. They know taste, they know value, and they know quality…and they get what I offer at my shop.”
“I love doing what I do, and being a little bit different. In fact, I am currently launching my updated menu January. I’ll have some new hoagies to offer.” Staley
Over the years, Staley has taken on the role of an educator. “If I ask a customer to try something new — to just give it a shot, because they might surprise themselves and end up liking it.” Staley added, “I love doing what I do, and being a little bit different. In fact, I am currently launching my updated menu January. I’ll have some new hoagies to offer.”
After seven years, Christine received some big news when Magic City Hoagies was selected as one of 20 nationally recognized small restaurant businesses. Each of those 20 businesses won $50,000 dollars, courtesy of Chase Sapphire Supports Restaurants Contest.
“For the grant I received so many positive comments,” Staley said.
One of her customers commented: “It was a Sunday night just after dinner when I first saw the post on Facebook. Christine Staley, owner of Magic City Hoagies here in Minot, ND just posted ‘to not worry parents’ that she was feeding every school-aged child who was in need of free lunch in the entire city, K-5 until the end of the 2019-20 school year. All she asked for was their grade and school, no other questions!”
Her quote in the Sapphire write-up pretty much describes Christine: “I’ve always just been a person who does. I’m a doer,” she said, "and I felt like somehow all of this work was going to make sense.”
When Christine first came to Minot in 2013, she fell in love with downtown Minot. “It was Christmas time, and it was back when they had the lights that were strung across Main Street. It was so beautiful.” Her love for downtown would eventually lead her to open a second business, Magic City Sweets.
“We just bought the building, so now I really feel like I’m home."Staley
“We just bought the building, so now I really feel like I’m home,” she said. “A lot of military people love both of my businesses.” Staley continued, “Most say they haven’t had hard-scoop ice cream in quite a while, so they come here and just love it. They also like the fun factor. Just like I build my hoagies big and crazy, here I do the same thing but I use candy and toppings…anything you want, we have.”
What challenges does Staley face downtown? “The labor situation is real,” she answered. “It would be nice to have more foot traffic, but with all that I am super excited to be a part of all the Magic happening downtown! It’s the place to be in Minot!”
