How an Afghan supermarket chain in Hamilton is helping newcomers find work

After immigrating from Pakistan to Toronto in July 2001 in hopes of building a better life and future, Mirways Babakarkhail worked odd jobs at factories and moving companies.

But his visits to friends who lived in Hamilton and worked in Jackson Square mall changed the Afghan man's life.

People came up to him and asked, "'Can you bring traditional Afghan rice and bread for me,'" Babakarkhail said.

"So I started — one day, two day, three days a week — to bring food for them to help them."

In September 2005, Babakarkhail took a chance and opened a small store in the city's core — Samir Supermarket, a 1,000-square-foot grocery location named after his son that sold a range of traditional Asian groceries.

Babakarkhail, co-owner of Samir Supermarket, says he added a store in the city's core because many newcomers live downtown but don't have vehicles and have trouble getting to other locations. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

His intuition paid off. The shop was a success and he moved it to its current location in Stoney Creek.

Seeing increased demand and a growing Afghan community, Babakarkhail eventually opened a store on the Mountain and another in Burlington, Ont.

Last week, he marked the opening of his fourth shop — just in time for the end of Ramadan and for Eid al-Fitr celebrations on Wednesday.

Babakarkhail said it gets very busy this time of year, adding that many shoppers buy up all the sweets and dried foods.

'This is my first job': dozens of newcomers employed

The new 15,000--square-foot location is nestled in the city's downtown area at 20 George St., just blocks from Jackson Square.

It's a nod to the chain's humble beginnings, and has a halal butcher to offer customers custom cuts of meat and Samir-branded items like authentic imported rice.

Wajiha Ameri works at Samir and says most of the employees at the supermarket are newcomers to Canada. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

Babakarkhail — who also runs a separate Samir Kabab business — said a downtown store was needed because "a lot of our communities are here and most of them do not have a car."

Along the way, Babakarkhail brought on Mohammad Asghar as a co-owner to help expand the business.

Asghar said he met Babakarkhail at Samir's.

"I was a customer," Asghar said.

Asghar isn't the only newcomer who is part of the chain.

Babakarkhail and Asghar said they make an effort to hire newcomers because many struggle to find work when they first arrive in Canada.

Zohra Karimi, another employee at the downtown Samir Supermarket, says this job is her first in Canada after spending months looking for work as a newcomer. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

When the new store was announced, Asghar said, over 100 people applied for work, most of them newcomers. Now there are some 46 employees at the downtown location.

Zohra Karimi said she spent three months looking for work before she started at Samir's.

"This is my first job … I'm so happy," said Karimi, who immigrated from Afghanistan half a year ago. She said the chain's success is "a success for all Afghan and Muslim people."

Babakarkhail and Asghar said he encourages his workers to learn English, get an education and work hard to pursue their dreams.

Samir's is a grocery store that sells food from across Asia. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

Babakarkhail said the goal is to open stores in cities across the province. He's setting his sights next on Guelph, London, Kitchener, Waterloo, St. Catharines, Brantford and Milton, he said.

Babakarkhail and Asghar said it's not about the money — it's to make it easier for people travelling from other cities to visit the store.

"That's why I have to help," Babakarkhail said.