| Tony Abrahim is giving back Pacific Coast Business Times, CA
10/28/2006
By Barbara Pearson
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For the love of furniture. Afghan entrepreneur tests South Coast store
On Nov. 10, Open Wide-Modern World Furniture, a wholesale furniture store at 530 State St. will have its Santa Barbara grand opening. The event will double as a benefit for Santa Barbara-based Direct Relief International, a charity that encapsulates the mission of Open Wide’s owner, Tony Abrahim.
Abrahim’s concept is to give back to the community. The Afghan refugee-turned-millionaire epitomizes the classic rags-to-riches story, and plans to share the fruits of his success at every level.
“I was rich, I was poor and I am rich,” Abrahim said. “I believe in giving back to the community. One person can make a difference, if 10 people do the same thing, it will make a big difference.”
His newest endeavor is the opening of three furniture stores—two in Los Angeles and one in Santa Barbara. If the stores do well, he will look to open another store in San Diego.
Since the fall of the Taliban, Abrahim has opened the weaving factory, Khyber Pass, in Afghanistan, and made it into a cooperative. He has employed 800 Afghanis. Expert weavers and managers at the factory are part-owners of the business and take a share of the profits from all textile sales.
“Thanks to America for getting the Taliban out, but then what?” Abrahim asked. He said it is important to bring labor options to Afghanistan because with the current state of the country, there are few job opportunities outside of working at an opium factory.
Abrahim is also involved in a program called Roots of Peace which clears landmines throughout the world and rehabilitates the area by planting grape vines. The organization visited Afghanistan in mid-October. He is now helping to rebuild two Buddhas that were bombed by the Taliban.
His furniture and rugs, he said, will sell at wholesale prices, saving shoppers in Santa Barbara from having to make the trip down to Los Angeles to get good deals. Abrahim said he is “connecting a bridge” between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. At 13,000 square feet, his store space will house one of the largest furniture stores on the Central Coast.
“The faster we can sell, the more we make and the more we can hire in third world countries,” Abrahim said.
What’s more, Abrahim, 46, said he plans to help a different charity every month by offering them a share of his proceeds. He will also host regular events to benefit the nonprofits of his choosing, which will be both local and national organizations.
The furniture store will carry products from 27 countries. Roughly half of those products will be made in Abrahim’s own factories. His products, which are sold throughout the world, will range from antique to traditional to modern.
Abrahim comes from five generations of textile manufacturers and, when he left the country in 1978, was a member of one of the wealthiest families in Afghanistan.
When he arrived in the United States, he had $50 in his pocket. He went from working 16-hour days washing dishes at a restaurant to opening several restaurants of his own, and later, furniture stores. Now, he is involved in a variety of businesses, including real estate development.
“The whole thing is if you are a nice person, everything will come to you...and work hard too,” Abrahim said. “I still work seven days a week, and seven nights a week too.”
More than 4,000 invitations are being sent out for the Nov. 10 grand opening and sale, which will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will feature Cirque de Soleil performers and C.G. Ryche, a percussionist from Benise. A percentage of the proceeds will go to Direct Relief International.
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