Serving San Diego’s Premier Urban Communities for 20 Years sdnorthparknews.com
Vol. 20 No. 7 July 2012
Women’s Empowerment International Its microloans give entrepreneurial women a hand up BY DELLE WILLETT
Ken Gabbara (left) and Junior Najor, co-owners of Paras Newsstand.
North Park’s Funky Newstand The women in the village of Jobra needed $27 to pay for the bamboo they turned into furniture. When Bangladeshi economist Muhammed Yunus learned the women were being gouged by local money lenders, he agreed to lend them the money himself. And the new microcredit market was born, 1976. The Grameen Bank (literally, “Bank of the Villages,” in Bangla) is the outgrowth of Yunus’ ideas. The bank was immensely successful in subsequent years. By the beginning of 2005, it had loaned over $4.7 billion to the poor and by the end of 2008, $7.6 billion. By 2006, Grameen Bank had over 2,100 branches. In 2007, more than 100 million of the world’s poorest families SEE WOMEN, Page 5
No other San Diego retailer can rival Paras’ collection of newspapers, magazines, paperbacks and discriminating patrons BY DELLE WILLETT
Whether you want news from around the world or around the block, North Park’s Paras Newsstand is the go-to place. Owners Junior Najor, 28, and Ken Gabbara, 59, carry publications from all over the world. Paras Newsstand began as a tiny cigar store — a third the size it is today —opened by Christopher Paras in 1949 at the same location, 30th and University. The first publication it carried was the Daily Racing Form, for which people lined up out the door to get first dibs — that and the TV Guide. Seeing how well publications were doing, Paras started bringing in more publications, eventually turning the store into a newsstand. In 1987 the newsstand changed hands to Michael
and Rocky Atallah, and then in October 2008 to Gabbara and Najor, Atallahs’ cousin. Between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., Najor and Gabarra are at the store or shopping for the store. While Najor is out purchasing merchandise, Gabbara is in at 5:30, putting newspapers on stands, and getting ready to open at 6 a.m., five to seven days a week. “It takes us being here ourselves to make this work,” says Najor. With over 4,000 unique publications, from American Girl to Z Magazine, Paras carries titles that only newsstands can get, and people drive from the four corners of the county to buy them — often on referral from a bookstore or other newsstand. Paras’ customers are even more fascinating than the publications they purchase. They’ve changed
Najor’s life and opened his mind. “I used to look at magazines and ask, ‘who would buy that magazine?’ and now I know.” There’s the Grossmont College history professor who stays up with current events, politics, travel, book reviews and history. He reads The Times Literary Supplement and the New York Review of Books in search of new and interesting books. He buys multiple copies of The New York Times for his students, hoping to pass his passion on to them. A comic book fan who knows all about movies is another customer. He can name the entire cast of every film. Another one knows all about aliens, and a SEE PARAS, Page10
NORTH PARK SCENE
Hillcrest Wind Ensemble Offers ‘Cabaret Pride’ The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble is offering an alternative to the regular Pride events. On Saturday, July 21, “Cabaret Pride” at the Mississippi Room of the Lafayette Hotel, will feature show tunes, Amer-
icana works, as well as music with LGBT overtones. A special “Sound Of Music” costume contest and sing-a-long will be featured. The group welcomes back vocalist Andrea Sperling, who will perform a classic Gershwin number as well as a special “Pride”
piece. Complimentary hors d’ouvres will be served 3875 Granada Ave., or at the door. Andrea Sperling at 6:30 with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. is a San Diego-based jazz singer and songwriter. Cabaret-style seating will take you back to the 1940s Café. Call (619) 282-7329 for more. in the newly renovated historic hotel. Admission is $15. and tickets are available at The Windsmith, SEE SCENE, Page 5