Clean Slate
By Kaitlin Harlow
The Alkoutami family immigrated to the U.S. from Syria in the 1980s, and they have lived in North Carolina since 1993. The Alkoutamis have made Hickory their home, and now more of their relatives seek to do the same – like Raed Domat, a Syrian refugee who is building a new life in Hickory in spite of the hurdles his family has faced.
Domat is an engineer, but he cannot practice his trade in the U.S. without going back to school. His family opened Viewmont Car Wash to give Domat a new opportunity to make a living. For the Alkoutami family, the car wash is a culmination of twenty years of integrating into the community and giving back to the town that they call home.
Viewmont Car Wash is a new local business in Hickory that is owned and operated by the Alkoutami family.
Between car washes, Bassam Alkoutami and Raed Domat hang out in the lobby with their employee Dylan. “There is no boss, no manager,” said Raed. “We are all equal here. We love it, and we work as a family.”
Sami Alkoutami is Raed’s nephew. He was born in North Carolina, but he feels close ties to Syria and to his family. “I wouldn’t call myself just a Syrian, and I wouldn’t call myself just a Southerner,” said Sami. “It’s both. It’s a weird mix, but it works.”
Sami and his cousins Zain, age 7, and Julia, age 9, share a Syrian snack together. Zain, Julia, and their mother Mayada arrived in the U.S. on January 27, 2017, just 6 hours before an executive action put a stop to all immigration from Syria.
Sami, Raed, and Bassam talk with Dr. Ghassan Alkoutami, Sami’s father and the the owner of Viewmont Car Wash. Ghassan, a cardiologist, visits the car wash frequently to check in and help with the family business.
“It’s a good way for them to make an impact and to really transition into the community,” said Sami about the new business. According to Raed, the car wash “ shows that we’re not here only getting some support from the government. Even though I came through a kind of refugee system or asylum, we’re here now, we’re working, we’re hiring people, we’re getting more opportunities for other people to work.”
Raed Domat used to call Syria home. Now he is finding his place in Hickory, with the support of his family, his community, and his dedication to running the town’s newest car wash.
Julia and Zain both go to elementary school in Hickory and are joining in sports and activities as they get accustomed to life in the U.S. with their family. “They’re going to shape their own story, and their kids are going to shape their own story, just like we did,” said Sami.
Mayada, Julia, Zain, and Raed pose together as a family during a gathering in the Alkoutami home. “They love the life here,” said Raed. “At least they feel safe.”
Viewmont Car Wash is now open for business, and the whole family is excited about the future. “We are happy and we are going to be happy to live here,” said Raed.
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