The One-Man Perfume Band
By Jessica Wang and Pippa Reid
Mohammed Quasem works hard to run his perfume shop single-handedly and to continue to build up relationships with his customers.
JACKSON HEIGHTS — In a neighborhood overflowing with hair salons, restaurants and grocery stores, Mohammed Quasem’s perfume shop stands out. The 60-year-old Bangladeshi native singlehandedly runs Jackson Heights Perfume Market based on honesty and a fair amount of elbow grease. “I never take a vacation,” he says.
“Hard work and honesty are the most important,” he said in an interview on Tuesday. Mr. Quasem said that he had never closed the store in all of the 34 years that he has run it — he described himself as a workaholic. He added how similar shops in Manhattan would have three people working in the store compared to just one in his. “I sacrifice myself for the business and customers,” he said.
Although he does not have any immediate family in New York, Mr. Quasem has formed a community within his customer base. He lives in Manhattan and has been living there for 40 years. He had first chosen to immigrate to New York from Bangladesh because he had a few contacts in the city. “Otherwise, I’d move to Florida,” he added.
“I cannot drive a yellow taxi, I cannot work in the grocery” he said, explaining why perfume was his only option when he first opened the store 34 years ago. Now, after gaining experience, he says that selling perfume is “easy for me and I know I have a connection with the perfume companies.”
Mr. Quasem gets his products from Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida, as well as from the local area. For him, it is important to have a large variety for perfumes, and he describes the industry like the lottery. “If the lottery number doesn’t fit, you don’t win. Same with customers and perfume,” he added. Mr. Quasem cares for his customers and tries to lure them back with competitive prices.
Mr. Quasem said that his store has three main demographics: travelers, people purchasing gifts for their partners and holiday shoppers. Jackson Heights is the most diverse neighborhood in Queens, according to Streetwise New York, a local tour company. This means that many of the perfume shop’s customers come to purchase gifts for their families before traveling to their native countries.
Mr. Quasem added that the holidays are big selling points. “Thanksgiving, they buy. Christmas, they buy. After New Year, they buy,” he said. When the community is thinking about holidays, he is thinking about sales.
Mr. Quasem said he will keep the business open for three to four more years. As for how he has been able to keep his business open for the past 34? He says “again we come back to honesty and the correct way to run a business. You never fail.”
However, he notes that running the shop is risky. He said his main goals are to make some profit, make rent and make his customers happy. “If you’re not strong, you get nervous,” he said. He also faces physical obstacles. “I don’t have a basement so I can’t organize how I want,” Mr. Quasem said. He explained that he is unable to receive large deliveries without a basement, and that all the stock has to be kept on the shop floor.
Inside the store, cardboard boxes are stacked on top of each other to shoulder height in the aisle. With its gentle, sweet scent, the tightly packed interior has a busy yet charming personality. Black shelves line the walls, laden with an abundance of perfume boxes that cater to all price ranges — from Mickey Mouse and Frozen-themed perfumes to brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Glass cases make up the remainder of the store, holding the last of the colorful perfume packages.
Jackson Heights Perfume Market runs on Mr. Quasem’s firm principles. “I don’t scam, I don’t lie, I tell the truth,” he said.
“In the beginning, when I opened the store, I was a bit nervous,” he added. He was anxious about moving to a new area and added how even though many people in Jackson Heights were also from Bangladesh, he still felt like an outsider. However, his business attitude and friendly personality won the neighborhood over and he has since built up a strong business.
Hashim from Sudan, 62, is a regular customer who had come to purchase two bottles of Roberto Cavalli perfume for his girlfriend. “Ladies always ask for expensive ones,” he said with a chuckle.
Mr. Quasem understands the importance of customer relationships when running a successful business. Hashim is one of 20 customers who frequent the store each week. Before the interview, he and Mr. Quasem were having a chat as friends, instead of as a customer and owner.
Over the span of 34 years, Jackson Heights Perfume Market has become a stable business thanks to Mr. Quasem’s tireless efforts and confidence. Customers come for regular chats, not just to buy products. As we wrapped up our conversation, Hashim had completed his purchase. He headed out the door with a wink and said, “See you next week!”
