A Syrian man, who fled the country during unrest there and later settled in Co Antrim, is offering his local community a brand new cultural shisha experience.
Turkmanish Shisha Cafe in Ballymena is the brainchild of Walid Masri, who moved from Syria in 2019 to make a new life for himself and his family in Northern Ireland.
It's just the latest business venture for the 27-year-old, who previously established a successful barber shop in the town centre.
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Turkmanish opened its doors on Pat’s Brae in June and is already proving a hit with locals.
"I left Syria in 2012 and moved to Lebanon until I came to Northern Ireland three years ago," Walid told Belfast Live.
"I came here with my parents, sister and brother but I have two sisters still living in Lebanon. I'm a barber by trade and I worked in a business here for a few years before opening my own barber shop.
"After that, I spotted an opportunity to open a café service. I wanted somewhere that would stay open for longer hours late into the evening and bring a Middle Eastern vibe to the town.
"That finally happened five months ago and it has been a dream come true. We wanted to offer people something new to experience, with both sit-in and takeaway service available."
Walid's café offers a traditional shisha experience, together with a selection of specialist teas, coffee, beverages and snacks including baklava, as well as nicotine-free shisha.
"I'm hoping that the café will appeal to many people in the town, both those from minority communities, as well as offering local people something different to try," he added.
"I'm very grateful for all the support I received so far, from my family, local business groups and the council. We look forward to welcoming you to experience our new Turkmanish café where tastes can be explored and friendship enjoyed."
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