From The Peopling of New York City

I recently talked to the owner of Mansoor Bookstore on Broadway in Jackson Heights. The owner is himself Muslim and at this store he sells books in Urdu and Islamic literature. Not only does the store sell CDs, cassettes, videos, and DVDs also but it operates as a dual business, as there runs a money transferring service in the back. He didn't speak English too well, but it was good enough to get the interview done. **I did this interview before I went to the mosque in Jackson Heights.

Jin Woo: Hello, my name is Jin Woo Chung and I’m here in Jackson Heights to do some research for a school project. May I ask you some questions if you don’t mind?

Owner: Okay.

J: Okay then, can you tell me who your main customers are for this store?

O: My customers are Pakistani.

J: Why is that?

O: My store sells things in Urdu, so Pakistanis come to my store.

J: I see, but you also sell Islamic literature in Arabic; don’t other customers come here to get that?

O: Most of my customers are Pakistani because most of the books are in Urdu.

J: So you don’t have any Bangladeshi or Bengali Muslims as your customers?

O: No, they are Pakistani. My store is for Pakistanis.

J: So Bengalis or non-Pakistanis don’t come here?

O: Bengalis go to their own stores and Pakistanis go to their own stores.

J: Alright, then can I ask if you know anything of the mosque in Jackson Heights?

O: Yes, sometimes I go there.

J: Oh really! What is the general make up of the people who attend that mosque?

O: It’s very mixed, Bengali, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani. I usually go to the mosque at home, but sometimes I go to the one down the street.

J: Oh, um, can you tell me where the mosque is?

O: Right down there. (Points out the window)

J: Oh, okay. Thank you so much for your time.

O: Bye.