The new Cinnabon store in Tripoli, Libya.  Libyans can now indulge in the sweet taste of American-style consumerism.  Cinnabon, a mall mainstay with more than 900 locations worldwide, opened its first store in Libya last month — also making it the first U.S. franchise operation in the war-torn North African country, according to reports.  “We were in every major market in the Middle East. Expanding into Libya made sense as part of our emerging market strategy,” Mike Shattuck, president of Focus Brands International, which handles Cinnabon’s overseas expansion, told CNNMoney.com on Wednesday.  The store opened in the Libyan capital of Tripoli and was actually planned two years ago but was put on the back burner after the country’s revolution in early 2011.  Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule was brought to an end in October when he was captured and killed by rebel fighters.  His son, Saif al-Islam, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity during last year’s bloody uprising.  “We quickly halted everything because the revolution happened,” Shattuck told CNNMoney. “Fortunately we were able to secure the location, and it made it (through the conflict) without serious damage.”  The franchise — opened by brothers Arief and Ahmed Swaidek — has been doing brisk business, Shattuck added, ringing up $45,000 in cinnamon bun sales during its inaugural week. The location also sells Carvel ice cream.  The Swaideks plan to open 10 more Cinnabons over the next five years, according to Libya Business News.  In fact, frosting-covered cinnamon rolls could be rolling out elsewhere in the region — an unexpected effect of last year’s Arab Spring, in which long-time leaders were ousted in civil uprisings throughout the Middle East.  Cinnabon said in a news release that it’s eyeing franchise partners in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
The country that was once charged with exporting terror is now importing frosting-covered cinnamon rolls, and Libyans are standing in line for a taste of American mall culture.