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Pakistani Businessman Builds Life in Mars Hill
by Josh Coburn
Fahim Ali
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When you open the swinging glass door and you hear the ring of the buzzer, after you've picked what you want from the array of candies, snacks, and full range of drinks and beverages, as you approach the counter with it's large display of tobacco products, you hear this loud voice saying to you, "What's up my man, my lady, my bro? What can I get you, and is that going to be it for you, man?"
His name is Ali. Every one calls him Ali, but few people know that's just his last name. His full name is Fahim Ali.
He is the owner of The Country Hub and Chevron gas station in Mars Hill. Ali is 34 years old. He hails from Karachi, the biggest city in the South Asian country of Pakistan.
He first came to the United States in 1991 to visit family in Dallas, Texas, where he stayed for a few weeks. When he returned home he stayed for three years until he decided to come back to the U.S. for good.
He had some properties that made him enough money to start a life in America. He came for business opportunities and to live an independent life, which Pakistan did not offer. He says the crime rate here is nothing compared to his home country. He says, "In Pakistan if you have anything of value out in the open, like a new car or bike, that's a guarantee it will not be there the next day."
Ali has been back to his country just three times.
Amreen Ali
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Ali first started on his road to fortune by investing in a dry cleaning establishment with a few of his family members in Dallas. He stayed in Dallas for five years, then moved to Chicago to live with some relatives there, but did not enjoy the area.
In 1999 he moved to Atlanta, where he finally got a chance to own his own business. He bought an Exxon gas station there which he still owns today.
While he was in Atlanta his family arranged a marriage to Amreen, the woman you often see behind the counter.
In 2006 Ali heard from an uncle who lives in Marion that Mars Hill had a gas station for sale, and that the area would be a great place to live in and raise a family. Ali came up to check it out and just fell in love with the store. He and his wife bought it and moved up in September of 2006.
The Country Hub
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They got right to work on the store. Ali says he spent $75,000 to make it the store it is today. Since then he has developed a loyal customer base. Ali has made a good living running the Country Hub, good enough that in the next month he hopes to purchase a gas station in Statesville, N.C., which he will have some relatives run for him.
Ali has three main loves in his life. First is his wife, whom he cares "oh so much" for. He also loves his gas stations. They mean the world to him. But he could not have a good business if he did not have any customers; so his last love is doing whatever it takes to make his customers feel as good as possible and to get them what they want.
He says "The key to a successful business is to make your customers feel comfortable and happy." Even though he has had his run-ins with bad customers, and still does occasionally, he says the majority of his customers are loyal and friendly.
He talks about traveling the world whenever he gets the chance, but his heart is in his stores. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, so stop on by, okay buddies."
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