Award-winning Iranian restaurant shuts down, owner leaving B.C.

Five years after opening its doors, northern B.C.'sfirst Iranian restaurant has shut down, citing an inability to make ends meet despite widespread community support and numerous awards.

Shiraz Caf and Restaurant owner Reza Akbari made the announcement Wednesday, calling the restaurant's run"a Canadian success story" for immigrants and newcomers.

He also praised the community of Prince George for supporting him since his arrival from Tehran, Iran, as an international student in 2005.

"It was a very difficult decision," Akbari said of pulling the plug, adding that he didn't finally make his mind up until after Christmas. He only told a few people about the pending closurebecause he couldn't bear saying goodbye to long-term customers.

"There's so much emotion and relationship I've built up with the people of Prince George and saying goodbye to them face-to-face? I couldn't go through that."

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Since opening in Dec. 2012, the restaurant has received numerous awards, including the 2016 Premier People's Choice Award from Small Business B.C. in 2016.

Akbarihas also been named one of the city's Top 40 under 40 and business person of the year by the local Chamber of Commerce.

However, he said, costs were rising and he didn't see a way to keep going without diminishing the quality of food and service.

"If I go back six years ago, would I do Shiraz again? Hell yeah. Would I do it a little bit different? Yes, I would," he said, adding that most successful restaurateurs he'd spoken to had numerous failures in their past.

Despite the closure, Akbarisaid he felt he had been a success, exceeding people's expectations for how well an Iranian restaurant could do outside of a major Canadian city.

"People were saying, 'Hey man, this is a town of steak and burgers,' " he said of his opening months.

"They would say it's not going to last five months... Ididn't believe it."

I came here as an international student. I couldn't speak any English. You welcomed me, and supported me, and without them I wouldn't be at the stage that I am.-Reza Akbari

He also cited the many musicians who performed on the stage he built, community groups he donated food and funds to and repeat customers as examples of why he felt good about Shiraz's story.

"I remember a person who went on his kneeand proposed to his fiancee in my restaurant and two years later they came back with a nine-month-old baby," he said. "It was amazing."

While he said he'd like to try his hand at the restaurant industry again, the immediate future will see Akbari relocating to Edmonton to pursue an opportunity related to his master's studies in business and dataanalysis.

He hoped people wouldn't think he was abandoning Prince George, as he feels strong loyalty to the only Canadian city he's called home.

"I became aCanadian citizen in Prince George," he said.

"I came here as an international student. I couldn't speak any English. You welcomed me, and supported me, and without them I wouldn't be at the stage that I am."