Owner of Yorkville tailor shop continuing long family legacy
Leaning over a sewing machine inside his tiny Yorkville shop, Mike Mouradian is continuing his family's legacy.
"When you've lost everything else, you will become very strong," he says.
The 27 year old is originally from Syria and he comes from a family of suit makers.
"My dad he teach me," he said. "Then I start to make jackets when I was 15 years old from scratch."
For nearly 70 years his family has owned a store in Aleppo fashion district. His family history in the suit business began after his great grandfather fled the Armenia genocide.
Coming to Syria he began making suits in 1922. From there, the business was passed on to Mike's grandfather, and then his father. Mike grew up in the store. They had manufacturing, and exported suits all over the world - right up until war broke out in 2012.
"The area we used to live, the ISIS take that area," Mouradian said.
Their manufacturing facility was damaged by bombing, with ISIS forcing them out.
"(ISIS) take everything else. They stole everything else," he says.
Once again his family was forced to flee, coming to Canada in 2016. Mouradian starting looking for a place to start again. Back in Syria, the family store had been located on one of the most famous streets. Mouradian wanted to find the right place in Toronto. One Sunday afternoon, he found Yorkville and was immediately taken.
"It was one of my dreams. When I first time I came to Yorkville. I said to myself, one day I'm going to open a shop here," he said.
Seeing high end stores like Chanel and Versace motivated him. In 2018, Mouardian bought a small shop on Yorkville Boulevard and opened 'Last Minute Alteration, Tailoring and Dry Cleaning.' His dream had come true.
The shop is a tiny space. About 30 feet long and 10 feet wide. Clothing hangs on two racks with a sewing machine located on either side. There are pictures of each generation of the Mouradian family looking over him. Mouradian will often work with a pair of scissors first used by his great grandfathers almost a hundred years ago.
As he holds the scissors, Mouradian says, "this is like an amazing memory from him to me."
Mouradian will at times work 16 or 17 hour days. He has become a Canadian citizen and says that this place feels like home. Now he is focused on growing his business to one day create his own custom suit store.
He says that it is all part of the work ethic he was taught.
"(Set) a goal, and then work on it, work very hard and then you will have everything else you are asking for."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Advocacy groups speak out against domestic violence comments by Nova Scotia minister
Several Nova Scotia groups that assist women are speaking out against comments on domestic violence by Justice Minister Brad Johns, and at least one is calling for his dismissal.