SHUTTING UP SHOP ...AFTER 40 YEARS
BROTHERS TAKE A BOW
It will be the end of an era next Sunday when two brothers check out of their grocery shop for the last time.
Zak and Iqbal Mohammed have run the Park Mains Licenced Grocers shop in Erskine for the last 40 years.
But next Sunday, the brothers will work their last shift on the shop floor as they hand over the keys to new owners.
Iqbal said: “We’re giving it up through ill health. If one of us takes ill, it causes problems for the other one.
“We thought about it last year and then this year the opportunity came up. Our bodies are telling us it’s time to retire.
“It will be a very sad day for us, we’re not looking forward to it at all.”
Zak, 59 and Iqbal, 61, came to Scotland with their mum, dad, two older sisters and younger brother, from Kenya back in 1969.
At that time Kenya was a British colony so the family had British passports and decided to start a new life in Glasgow.
One of their sisters got married and her husband opened a shop in Linthouse in Glasgow.
Iqbal said: “That’s where I learned my trade. Me and Zak always said we wanted to open a shop and then we got the chance in Erskine.”
They opened the shop on June 17, 1978, and as more homes were built in Erskine, the business started to grow and thrive.
They bought the premises next door in 1986 and expanded into it, and then in 1999 built another extension to the front.
The shop has only ever been closed for one day in nearly 40 years, when it had been refurbished and was being restocked.
Even during the recent Beast from the East storm, Zak and Iqbal walked through the snow every day to open the shop and serve their customers.
Although they first lived in Glasgow, Iqbal and Zak have now lived in Erskine for the last 25 years.
Iqbal has one son and Zak has two but they never wanted their family to join them in the business.
“This is a hard job,” said Iqbal. “I work from 4am till 7pm at night. We always wanted our kids to get educated and they’ve all done well for themselves.
“We never planned to pass the business on to our family so it really is the end of an era.”
The brothers’ last day in the shop will benext Sunday, but they have no plans for what they’ll do next.
Iqbal said: “I’m thinking maybe charity work but I don’t know yet.
“Once everything is sorted we’ll go away on holiday and we’ll see when we come back.
“We’re not opening any other business though. This business is the only thing we’ve ever wanted to do.”
And as for what they’ll miss most about the business, an emotional Iqbal said there was only one thing – their customers.
He said: “It’s been a pleasure and an honour. It’s been great serving the community, we have a great relationship with our customers. “We don’t have any regrets at all. “We’re on our fourth and fifth generation of customers. They’ve all been upset and told us we’ll be missed. They’ve been handing in cards for us.
“We must have done something right.”
Zak added: “We’d like to thank all the customers who have supported us for 40 years. We’ll miss them all.”
Councillor Jim Sheridan is one of the loyal customers who paid tribute to the brothers. He said: “I’ve known Zak and Iqbal all the time they’ve been here and they’ve been a great service to the community.
“They’re a great pair and they’ve made many friends in the community. “