Residents in Al Quoz with diverse skill sets are taking advantage of the thriving labour market to launch their own businesses outside regular business hours. By utilising their skills, they earn additional money throughout the nights.
A tailor, vegetable dealer, or juice maker by day, and a plumber, electrician, or cleaner at night.
Juice Maker
Ahmed Ashfaq is one of the numerous labourers; he decides to start a company after finishing his day job as a mason. “Work constantly occupies my day. I get back from the building site around 4 p.m. and relax until 5:30 p.m. I work here till 10 p.m., creating freshly squeezed grapefruit, orange, and pomegranate juice after I have my sleep,” Ashfaq stated.
Ashfaq is employed in a juice bar in his native Peshawar, Pakistan. Ashfaq said that he sells more than a hundred cups every day. “My previous job has been very fruitful for me and it is helping me earn extra income now as well,” he said.
Some satisfy the food demands of visitors, while others use a needle and thread to create works of art.
Embroidery dreams
Ashraful works as a painter during the day and a tailor at night. He serves his clients starting at 7:30 p.m. “Tailoring has always been my passion. I was a tailor in Chittagong before moving to the UAE, and once I quit, I wanted to make a company out of my interest,” Ashraful said.
“People come here to have their ripped pants or shirts fixed. I even do shirt sewing, actually. I can’t cut the cloth here, so I take a day or two off in between,” Ashraful continued.
By day, a cleaner, by night, a fruit vendor
Nadeem Khan works as a cleaner for a private company and sells fruits and vegetables in the evenings. He is at his stand selling fruits and veggies not long after his workplace hours. “The people initially buy veggies after work before going home, therefore I need to arrive here by 4.30 p.m. If they want to shop, they come back after the food is cooked to purchase more items, according to Khan.
Khan said that he has been able to fund his children’s education back home because to his entrepreneurial career. “As my kids grew, it became more challenging to provide for their education. I made the decision to have a vegetable booth when this was formed by the Dubai Police and the Dubai Municipality. For my children’s schooling, who are in grades one and three, this is undoubtedly bringing in additional money,” Khan stated.
Muazzam Shafi is a restaurateur who assists at a Karama restaurant. But I manage my own restaurant as the sun goes down. A restaurant was where I used to work in Lucknow, India. And I make the things here that I learnt from there,” Shafi said.
Shafi made a partnership at a market stand that was already there. “I didn’t want to risk everything I had by making this investment. I had a conversation with my business partner and arranged a deal. Shafi remarked, “He is happy, and I am happy because we are good with what we prepare.”