The Success Story
Abdul, 43, has years of experience working in retail. His first job as a Yemeni refugee from the age of 12 in Saudi Arabia, was a store where he worked his way up to become the manager. At 18, he traveled to China for materials to create his products and clothing. He learned by studying design. “ I went to fashion shows in Paris, Turkey, and all over Europe in order to perfect my craft,” Abdul admitted.
After learning the ins and outs of the fashion industry, Abdul yearned to create his own retail clothing stores with his own brand. “I do not work for money, I keep moving for my passion,” he said. Eventually, he left Saudi Arabia to live in the United States.
Abdul opened the original Al Ameera Fashion Clothing Store in Chicago located on 7301 W 87th St, Bridgeview, IL 60455. “ Starting that business was difficult as an immigrant. I created a team of retail workers who would travel to Palestine, Jordan, and Turkey to create the vision of my designs.” These are the items that are sold in the Chicago and Milwaukee stores.
Abdul saw a trend of Milwaukee customers coming to his store in Chicago looking for conservative dresses for wedding events and engagement parties. Taking note of this demand, he began to research if there was a business like his in the Milwaukee area. “I came to Milwaukee and scoped out the city. I also asked around to see if there was a large Muslim community here,” he stated. “Once I found a location, I moved forward with the business.”
The Milwaukee Al Ameera location took two years of planning before the business was opened. The older building needed extensive remodeling and an entirely new design. “I invested so much into this store and I am thankful for the current support of Milwaukee residents so far,” Abdul stated.
Not only is the Muslim community buying from Al Ameera in Milwaukee but a large Black/African American and Latinx population are also buying dresses for events such as prom.
