- Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

Owen Sound's newest business owners are already delighted to be part of their new community. They moved in to live and work in the former Coffee Culture building on 2nd Avenue when their friends moved on to Milton. Farah says “People here greet each other and smile, it is pollution free, and healthy organic food is easy to find.” That made me smile, because that's what we like about Owen Sound too.

Their new spot – Best Coffee and Eatery – will have its signs up soon, but when I saw “now open” this week, I dropped in to welcome them to town.

Farah and Shaik Mohammed are originally from Pakistan, but they are both Canadian citizens, as are their children and grandchildren. Shaik Mohammed is a mechanical engineer, and went to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in telecommunications, solar energy, and for British Petroleum. Farah is a physician. She took her son, their youngest child, to Saudi Arabia so he could be with his father, and she worked there as Manager of Clinical Skills and Simulation at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Saudi Arabia, the largest female university in the world. While she was there she also trained and qualified in sonography. She has had her medical credentials recognized in Canada, but the licensing process is lengthy.

“We have accomplished a lot in our lives,” said Farah, “And we are ready to take on this new challenge.” Most importantly, they wanted the family to be together in Canada.
Their eldest daughter graduated from University of Toronto and is now married with two small children. Their middle daughter graduated from York University and is a Human Resources manager for the TTC. The youngest daughter is a psychology student at York, and lives in Toronto with her brother who is still in high school.

For now the the coffee shop will offer baking and beverages, but the signs promise more – kebab wraps just for starters. They are thinking of hosting a board games night – maybe a regular Thursday after work event – and Farah says they want feedback about what you would like to see in their new space.

Drop in and say hello. The coffee shop will be open from 7 until 7, Monday through Saturday.