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It's an interesting article - worth reading. Business chains affiliated by origin like the Calif. donut chain are common in North America: - Indian Gujaratis

It's an interesting article - worth reading. Business chains affiliated by origin like the Calif. donut chain are common in North America: - Indian Gujaratis and Bay Area motels https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/09/south-asia-america-motels-immigration/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/09/south-asi... - S. Koreans and minimarts across Canada (A relative of mine worked in one.) - there's a couple immigrants with 10+ Calif. gas stations each https://www.desertsun.com/story/money/business/2015/12/02/chandi-group-franchise-growth/76413332/ https://www.desertsun.com/story/money/business/2015/12/02/ch... How it works in general is that the business visionary has a close relationship with one bank, and the ability to sponsor a lot of friends and family in the old country. For example, in the case of minimarts in Canada, a S. Korean immigrant automatically gets a loan in the range of $200k and up at one bank if they can find a location for sale/lease and the ability to sponsor 3 or more family members to work there. It's just a matter of filling out the forms from the bank, and based on the previous successful affiliate history, the loan is approved. Around 2000, during the Balkans wars, the Albanians funded their war chest from a roofing contractor business in NY that hired exclusively Albanian labor. There's a documentary showing them exporting a 50 cal AA rifle and other weapons to Albania, including considering leasing an airliner (!) to export more. The UN had to limit helicopter operations over their territory.

moltar 6y ago
In Montreal many deps (corner stores) are Chinese run. In Ottawa they seem to be of Indian decent. In Ottawa taxi drivers were largely Lebanese. Also an empire of sorts. Operating vehicles 24/7 to maximize revenue per car. Could you link to the Albanian documentary? That story is super fascinating.
- goatsi 6y ago
  It appears to be this one: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455921/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455921/
  - moltar 6y ago
    Thank you!
    - redis_mlc 6y ago
      The story is beyond unreal - one of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever seen, especially the Washington lobbying with a briefcase full of cash for a famous politician. Most people think of the UN as helpful, but they were the blood enemies of Albanians and other smaller ethnic groups during the Balkans conflicts. Why? Because the UN would turn a blind eye to armed groups who promised not to shoot UN peacekeepers, since Western European governments cannot tolerate casualties. The US military had to step in, and eventually ended the conflicts. The 50 cal was likely hidden in a barn somewhere, and the UN couldn't find it, so had to reduce helicopter flights. The snipers were trained in the US.
mirajshah 6y ago
> How it works in general is that the business visionary has a close relationship with one bank, and the ability to sponsor a lot of friends and family in the old country. in both this article about donut shops and the article about Bay Area motels, the "business visionary" grants personal loans to other immigrants who were already settled in the U.S. to bootstrap their own _separate_ businesses.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  In the early days maybe. But the article was talking about 5,000 donut shops today, so that's beyond personal loans.

moltar 6y ago

In Montreal many deps (corner stores) are Chinese run. In Ottawa they seem to be of Indian decent. In Ottawa taxi drivers were largely Lebanese. Also an empire of sorts. Operating vehicles 24/7 to maximize revenue per car. Could you link to the Albanian documentary? That story is super fascinating.

goatsi 6y ago
It appears to be this one: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455921/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455921/
- moltar 6y ago
  Thank you!
  - redis_mlc 6y ago
    The story is beyond unreal - one of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever seen, especially the Washington lobbying with a briefcase full of cash for a famous politician. Most people think of the UN as helpful, but they were the blood enemies of Albanians and other smaller ethnic groups during the Balkans conflicts. Why? Because the UN would turn a blind eye to armed groups who promised not to shoot UN peacekeepers, since Western European governments cannot tolerate casualties. The US military had to step in, and eventually ended the conflicts. The 50 cal was likely hidden in a barn somewhere, and the UN couldn't find it, so had to reduce helicopter flights. The snipers were trained in the US.

mirajshah 6y ago

> How it works in general is that the business visionary has a close relationship with one bank, and the ability to sponsor a lot of friends and family in the old country. in both this article about donut shops and the article about Bay Area motels, the "business visionary" grants personal loans to other immigrants who were already settled in the U.S. to bootstrap their own _separate_ businesses.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
redis_mlc 6y ago
In the early days maybe. But the article was talking about 5,000 donut shops today, so that's beyond personal loans.