This is the Islamic places

Transcript

00:00This is the Islamic Place, a store that offers products of such a variety that Muslims in

00:08Philadelphia no longer need to shop anywhere else.

00:12When you step in, Islamic songs greet you.

00:17And the products range from Muslim clothing necessities to scented oils from the Middle

00:21East.

00:23The store carries goods from not just from the Middle East, but also other countries

00:28such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

00:32Alim Amin is one of the shop's managers.

00:35Back when our family arrived in Philadelphia, there was a severe lack of items and merchandise

00:42available for the practicing Muslims.

00:45Even basic things like kufis for the brothers or khimars or hijabs for the sisters were

00:49not readily available.

00:52And we found methods of sourcing them and making them available.

00:57Customers come not only from Philadelphia, but also from other regions in the U.S.

01:02Some just want to see the largest Muslim fashion store on the East Coast.

01:07There are also regular customers, and new ones, like Samira Dawkins, who came here to

01:12see what her friend was excited about.

01:14I haven't seen a lot of stores that have a lot of colors in the khimars, and so far they

01:20have a lot of colors and different patterns in the shaylas and overgarments, so I'm really

01:26happy with that.

01:27It's hard to get a one-shop style and pick up books and overheads, they have it all.

01:36The Islamic Place started as a small shop in Philadelphia in 1989.

01:41As the Muslim population of Philadelphia has grown, so have the store sales.

01:46In 2002, the Islamic Place moved to its current location.

01:50To attract non-Muslims, the shop also sells books that teach readers about Islam.

01:57Philadelphia's Muslim community is among the fastest growing in America.

02:01That's good for business, and for the community.

02:05Their level of education or understanding about Islam is, I think, very high in Philadelphia.

02:12So as the rest of the nation does struggle a little, I think we have this little oasis

02:18here in Philadelphia, which we are very blessed with.

02:23It seems the store is not only supplying the area's Muslim community, but also is educating

02:29the larger Philadelphia community.

02:32For Producer Supriyono, I'm Ariadna Budianto, VOA News, Philadelphia.