Asian Heritage Month: Check out these locally-owned businesses

It’s Asian Heritage Month.

To celebrate Montrealers with origins from the Far East diaspora, every Saturday in May, CTV News is highlighting individuals who have not only built their lives here but also created thriving local businesses.

Boutique 1861

Boutique 1861: it’s one of the most iconic stores on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, where women of all ages can go to find what they need for the special occasions in their lives.

The store is the brainchild of Castle Ho, who moved to Montreal in 2001 from Kuala Lumpur, My. in 2001 to pursue her studies at Collège LaSalle.

“I wanted to create something unique that stood out from the other shops in the city,” she explains. “We have earned a reputation for our romantic, feminine aesthetic, defined by soft hues, delicate fabrics and a harmonious blend of modern and classic styles.”

Opening her doors for the first time in 2008, Ho recalls, was “incredibly nerve-wracking.”

“It felt like I was putting everything I had saved up on the line, taking a huge financial risk with no guarantee of success,” she said. “I am grateful for the support I’ve received from the Asian community in Montreal. It has been unwavering and encouraging throughout my journey.”

Complete with La Petite Garçonne, Maison Garçonne and Boudoir 1861, the stores “are renowned for offering a thoughtfully curated collection of timeless, one-of-a-kind clothing, dresses, shoes, accessories, home decor and bridal dresses.”

Ho says she hopes people appreciate the unique blend of fashion influence when they walk into her stores, reminding people that supporting small businesses enriches our community ties, both near and far.

Better Being

How can a company better take care of its employees’ mental health and well-being?

That’s something Shi Diwen Zhu hopes to improve – and inspire – no matter how big or small an enterprise.

“I think organizations have a huge role to play in improving society, societal health,” he said. “If they’re able to put in place systems, policies, managers, have the awareness to take care of their people, then not only will we have employees that are feeling more aligned, but I think we’ll have a society that is more healthy also.”

He says his company, Better Being, was inspired by his father’s struggles when he first moved to Canada from Shanghai, Cn. in 1990.

“He went to Chinatown, and he had nothing. So, no clothes, no money, no friends,” he said, adding that his father told him this story only recently. “He got emotional, telling us, ‘the first night, when I got there, I had to sleep on the streets because I knew no one.’”

In stereotypical fashion, Zhu says his father “hustled, like most immigrants, to find a way to step on his feet,” working anywhere and everywhere he could get paid.

Eventually, he founded his own business, selling Asian-inspired items in the Old Port.

“I know the work he put in for us is why I’m here. Without his sacrifices, without my mom’s sacrifice, I wouldn’t be in my position. I’m grateful for the opportunity they allowed me,” he said.

Zhu says he wants to take what he learned from his parents and turn it into an empire; a legacy, if you will.

“It’s still a process, but we’re getting there. I’m just focused on myself, honouring their sacrifices and trying to prioritize me,” he said. “I have this confidence, and I think whenever I step in a room, I own the room. I never shy away and this really allowed me to be comfortable in my skin.”

Zhu says he believes the next decade will play a crucial role on how society interacts with the health sector, and his goal is to help individuals come out on top.

“Hopefully, we can have this conversation of health and well-being more at the center of the strategic role that it plays for an organization,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m going to be able to fight for more opportunities for the next generation and other people that are trying to go to the next step.”

Thé SAKAO

Reina Sakao knows a thing or two about tea.

The Montrealer is a fourth-generation member of a teahouse in her native Japan, a business her great-grandfather started many years ago.

“It is such a great honour to my entire family and ancestors, supporting us to continue our family legacy here in Canada,” she said.

Hailing from Tokyo, Sakao moved to Montreal in 2007 and opened Thé SAKAO shortly after in 2013.

“I wanted to do something to share my culture and also to share better tea,” she said. “Back in 2007, there were not so many tea places serving authentic tea. It was mostly tea bags.”

Traditional teas, she explains, are loose-leaf or matcha-style with specific steeping instructions.

“When I first started selling matcha door to door, I remember getting weird looks because of its green appearance,” said Sakao, adding that now that teas have gained popularity, “we offer matcha workshops and tea ceremonies and organize Japanese events.”

As a first-generation immigrant, Sakao says things were difficult at first as she had “no connection to anyone or anything, so it took some time to get it started.”

However, she notes, as the Japanese community in Montreal is fairly small, its members work hard to uplift and carry each other through each challenge, something she says she’ll always be grateful for.