A Day Without an Arab

[Patrick]

There are plenty of rough urban areas where the stores are not owned or operated by Arabs or Chaldeans. It's not like they are the only people capable of operating in less than ideal situations. Totally hypothetical, but if they all left tomorrow the sudden void of retailers would be short lived. The potential for profit is the main reason any store owner puts themselves in this position in the first place, and someone else would fill the void quickly.

Ok, then why are there so many Arab owned businesses in the city of Detroit specifically? Why the disproportionate amount of Arab businesses in a city that is predominantly black? Some have called the Middle Eastern presence a "monopoly" of sorts. Seems to be that they are operating in a market that no one else really wants to touch, from a business standpoint.

I know firsthand that SE Michigan is a magnet for newcomers from the Middle East. So many simply come because they already have someone here in Dearborn or Sterling heights to help them out. Many newcomers already have the skills and knowledge needed to run a store or establishment so I suppose that is a major factor. Is it that much harder for anyone else to open a party store in the city?

Here is an interesting letter to the Freep:

http://www.freep.com/article/2012051...sses-shut-down