Port Alice residents may have noticed a small brown building pop up at the corner of Marine Drive and Taylor Way this summer. It is the first stage of a complex of small retail spaces initiated by a husband-and-wife team of real estate developers from Arizona, Sajid Mahmud Shah and Sima Shah.
Their half-acre commercial corner lot will be divided into two types of businesses. At the back, near the liquor store, there will be a self-storage unit as well as space for storing boats and RV's. At the front end there will be five drive-thru small shops — similar to the one built this summer — that will be available to the community for lease.
The Shahs have a few potential prospects lined up for the first drive-thru building. Sajid says they have some great ideas, but that they are all still in the evolving/brainstorming stage.
One of the other shops will have an ATM and vending machines. Sajid noted that Port Alice has two ATM machines, one at the Legion and other in the grocery store, but when they are closed there’s no access to cash. Along with the ATM, there will be the standard vending machine items like pop and chocolate bars. He says the customer will be able to drive through. No parking required.
Sajid expects that one or more of the other stands might include a food vendor, like a taco stand, an ice cream dispensary or a soup shop. He mentioned that one local is interested in developing a gift shop with souvenirs and locally made arts and crafts for sale. Because the properties are small and cheap to rent, a potential vendor’s profit margin will be high. The Shahs are offering people an opportunity to start something with small capital and a small place where the overheads are less, giving them a greater chance for success.
Sajid Shah sees himself as more than just a leaser, but more like a partner in each business venture. He asserts that “if they win, we win. If they don’t win, I don’t win. So, this is a win/win kind of partnership kind of concept.”
The Shahs plan to lease out their retail spaces on full year contracts. They consider tourism to be a plus, but the focus will be on “what the community needs.” This initiative, Sajid says, “reflects our commitment to supporting local talent and fostering economic growth in our community.”
Sajid Shah has an undergraduate degree in computer science with a master’s in information technology and finance. He considers his profession to be real estate planning, development and investment. Sima Shah manages the real estate business with him, focused on the financial aspect, such as accounts receivable and accounts payable.
The Shahs have lived in the United States for 30 years, first in California and now in Phoenix, Arizona. Supported by his family, Sajid immigrated from Pakistan as a teenager to attend high school and then university in Los Angeles. Sima’s family is originally from India, having moved to Los Angeles when she was three years old. The Shahs have three adult children, all born in California, and one three-year-old granddaughter.
The Shahs ended up investing in Port Alice after driving around the whole of Vancouver Island four years ago. Sajid says they fell in love with Port Alice, because it was “…such a beautiful small town, neat and clean, well-managed.”
He says the well-maintained curbs, the nicely cut grass and the flower planters made a strong impression on them. He adds, “these are really small small things but it really stands out [at] the end of the day.”
Presently, the Shahs have been renting a condo here in the summer as they worked on launching their business. They are interested in eventually buying land to build a custom home or pre-prepared home. They plan to use it as a retirement getaway, dividing their year between Port Alice and spending time with their children and horses in Arizona.
To inquire about opportunities for leasing, visit InletCoast.com.
