The community is mourning the loss of the owner of a popular shop in Oak Bay.
Ihsan Askar died Dec. 15, neighbours of his Oak Bay shop confirmed on social media days later. Askar took pride in Yumbrosia Fine Foods and neighbours noticed when he wasn’t in the shop each morning.
A note on the shop door says it will be closed indefinitely.
Running Yumbrosia for the last 10 years was a dream come true, Askar, a chemist and cook from Pamukkale, Turkey, told Black Press Media during an interview last summer.
He bought his first store in Oak Bay Village in 2011. Originally naming his business Ambrosia Fine Foods and Deli, Askar enjoyed working along The Avenue for eight years but struggled with the building’s limited space and a lack of available customer parking.
He was quick to buy his current store at Eastdowne Road in September 2018, running both stores for five months to gradually transfer his clientele.
Askar planned to run the store for another 10 years, hoping to train one of his three employees to operate the business.
RELATED: Yumbrosia brings a world of flavour to Oak Bay
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