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From the age of 13, Mohammed Hassan Ali Akbaryan has seen Dubai grow up
Mohammed Hassan Ali Akbaryan in his shop.
When Mohammed Hassan Ali Akbaryan arrived in Dubai three years before the union was formed, the city was a small town with tiny markets and only a few shops in Deira . Surprisingly, no visas are available to enter the country, he said.
“I was 13 years old and it was my first time on a plane, it was Iran Air, and the fare was about Dh70. When I landed, my passport was stamped, but there was no visa,” Ali said.
When Ali traveled from the airport to his uncle’s residence in Deira, he said it took him nearly 45 minutes “because the roads were very narrow at that time”.
“The airport at the time was small, with a few rooms, and passengers got off and off directly on the road,” Ali added.
royal client
Ali, aged 13, then started working at his uncle’s shop in what is now the Gold Souk, selling food and household items. He was given the task of delivering products to the homes of residents, whereas Ali had royal clients.
Listen to what Ali himself said, where did he send the things.
It takes almost 45 minutes to reach Zabeel’s Palace. Not only Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ali also had the honor of serving many royals from different emirates.
Ali recalls a time when Deira’s souks had only a few shops. “There are only a few shops in the souk here, the most famous being my uncle’s shop, everyone in Dubai knows us.”
Ali’s shop has customers from various emirates, and his job is to deliver. “Delivering was a bit busy at that time because it took almost a full day to deliver and return from Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi,” Ali said.
When Ali wandered the gold market at night, he returned in time. “There were only 6-8 shops in the Gold Souk and only half a kilo of jewelry was in stock. I always remember the evenings spent with colleagues and friends,” recalls Ali.
Ali remembers that it rains every year in the area, and “whenever it rains, the water from the creek overflows and flows into our store,” Ali said.
One of the first post-union trade licenses
When the Trucial States joined forces to form the United Arab Emirates, Ali went with his uncle to the Dubai Municipality to renew their trading license. “We had to renew our trade license, and without further delay, we applied for the renewal the day after the alliance was established,” Ali said.
“The government was also working very fast at that time, and we got the approval the same day,” Ali added.
Ali’s uncle started the business 72 years ago and he is now in Iran. Ali now owns the company he took over from his uncle.
Witness the growth of Dubai and the UAE
“When the union was formed, we could feel that the country was on a positive growth trajectory. Whenever I went to the palace, they were talking about development. Sheikh Rashid was always asking and solving problems crowd,” Ali said.
However, after the port was built, things got a lot easier for traders. “We ordered many items from India, Europe, Iran and Africa and we received them after 45 days or two months. But when operations started at Port Rashid, the goods arrived in just 25 days. “
Ali said that the founding fathers paid a lot for the construction and development of the country. The seeds of development were planted by them, and their descendants carried forward. “Building the nation was the passion of the Founding Fathers. They were all concerned with uplifting and making life easier for residents. When their sons took on the responsibility of making this country the best place to live, there was no turning back,”
build his business
With shipping times shortened, Ali began to focus on expanding into various other products. “Currently, we have over a thousand products in our store, Yathrib Dry Fruits and Nuts. But before the 2000s, we had less than a tenth of what we have today,” Ali said.
Ali came out of his shop in Deira.
In the early 80’s he made up his mind to take charge and diversify the business. Currently, he sells hundreds of dried fruits and nuts, chocolates, drinks, saffron and more. “I get the best quality products from all over the world. I have had the same clients for decades. It is amazing how I get my products to every corner of the world because of the influx of tourists,” says Ali.
“They love my chocolate,” he added.
Carry forward
Ali left behind two sons and two daughters in Iran. “My family was in Dubai earlier. After the death of my wife, I lived with my son Hadi.”
Ali wants his son to carry on his legacy and diversify the business. “By aligning with current marketing and sales trends, he has improved the business to a great extent.”
ayaz@khaleejtimes.com
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