Galerie Route De La Soie

Of Mongolian roots, born in Afghanistan, and a longtime resident of Paris, Alexandre Haidar’s is a business that's relatively new to Montreal, even though some of the techniques and heritage of his products may seem as old as time itself. “I came to Canada in 2008," he explains. "I love the freedom, the diversity, the respect for human dignity. I have a love of all cultures, and I’m glad to run a business like this that allows Montrealers to develop new interests.”

Alex’s experience stems from his father’s own business of importing Asian goods. He began the business in 1979, when he was hardly 20 years old and eager to travel. “I simply took up my father’s business ― it was simple enough,”
he recalls. “I know English, French, Pashto, Urdu and other languages native to the region ― the kind of relationships you develop are amazing. I still work with people I’ve known since I started this, even though they’re halfway around the world!”