Dec 22, 2010

World travel from the comfort of Historic DowntownBy Andrew SnyderCourier-Gazette.com

Mehmet Celik traveled a long way to get to North Texas.

Born in Turkey, he got his start by opening one of the first Internet cafes in the country’s largest city, Istanbul. Tourists staying at local hotels would come to check their email and buy a souvenir from the gift shop, and it was a profitable business. When Celik sold it and moved to the United States, the money earned helped him open Another Time and Place in Dallas.

There he sold everything picked up along the way.

The store’s tag line, “shop the world without jet lag,” explains the concept. Another Time and Place brings unique items from across the globe to local shoppers. Just a portion of its range includes jewelry made by Afghani refugees, boots from Turkey and Persian rugs.

Celik said he enjoys being a representative of different cultures.

“I think it’s also educational,” he said. “It opens people’s minds. They come here and they feel like they’re in India. They feel like they’re in Turkey. Walk to a different corner and they feel like they’re in Afghanistan.”

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