Garrett Barry, Centretown News
Aziz & Company manager Sheena Zain sorts through statues at her Bank Street boutique.People moving along Bank Street near Gilmour in downtown Ottawa may have noticed a recent change to the scenery – the unveiling of a new, large, dark red sign with glistening gold lettering: “Aziz & Company.”
The sign was commissioned by store manager Sheena Zain to both commemorate and update one of Centretown’s oldest family-run businesses.
Aziz & Company, a retailer and importer of goods, recently marked its 50th anniversary.
The store carries a wide range of products, including henna, meditation pillows, incense and men and women’s clothing.
“It has always been a family effort,” says Zain’s sister, Jasmine Aziz, noting that the store has only ever been staffed by the shop’s co-founders, their father, the late Aziz Ujjainwala, their mother Zubeda Ujjainwala and the couple’s children.
“I ran the store when I had a full-time job,” says Aziz, “and my mother would be here to help, until we retired her about a year ago… Now my sister, Sheena, has taken over.”
The new sign was unveiled during Aziz & Company’s 50th anniversary party on Oct. 25, attended by sisters Aziz and Zain, their mother Zubeda, and hundreds of the shop’s most loyal customers, Zain says.
At the event, Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi presented a letter of congratulations to Ujjainwala. Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes also presented a letter of congratulations to the family from Mayor Jim Watson.
The shop dates back to 1964, after Ujjainwala, pregnant with her first child, pushed her husband to open a store so she could work and take care of her children at the same time.
“We literally gestated in the store,” says Zain. “We grew up under our mother’s feet in the store.”
Over its 50-year history, Aziz & Company’s identity has changed, as Ujjainwala’s daughters have increasingly taken over management of the store.
“For a little while, our motto was ‘Things from India and around the world,’ but then we started focusing in on South Asia and Canada,” says Aziz.
“We joke that we have things made in India because we were made in India, and we have things made in Canada because we were made in Canada,” says Aziz. “We try to blend East and West.”
Zain says that even though North American interest in Indian merchandise changes as different items become iconic in popular culture, there are certain items that will always be found in her shop.
“We have always had silver jewelry… The trends might change, but we have always offered India silver bracelets, necklaces and earrings,” says Zain.
Similarly to its merchandise, Zain says that there are many shoppers who have been around the store as long as she can remember.
“I have been shopping at Aziz & Company for about 15 years,” says Rose-Anna Dutrisac.
“As a regular customer, I exchange hugs with the owners and we have interesting conversations about Bollywood and world affairs.”
Aziz says that the store brings in a lot of people who do not want to shop at larger box stores.
“The kind of people that have always been attracted to Aziz & Company and the kind of people that often are in Centretown anyways, are people who are socially conscious, and are very open and engaged by culture,” she says.