TRIBUTES both verbal and written have been shared for beloved Ōtorohanga icon Karam Haddad in the wake of his death during a car accident.
By Brianna Stewart
FOR 57 years Karam Haddad was a friendly face in a sea of menswear, greeting anyone who ventured into he and his brother John’s shop in Ōtorohanga. For many of those years, customers would be treated to banter between the brothers, but last week marked a new way of operating for Haddad Menswear – with only one brother left at the helm. A huge crowd gathered at the Ōtorohanga Club yesterday to celebrate Karam’s life, which he lost in a car crash last week. GRAVE NEWS A hand-written sign reading “temporarily closed” was stuck on the front door of Haddad Menswear on Wednesday afternoon – the first indication to some in town that something was gravely wrong. The news was delivered to John by police officers who suggested they have a conversation somewhere a little more private, perhaps at the back of the shop. “I was catching on then that something had happened. The first thing I thought was my brother has had an accident,” John said. “I asked if he was going to be all right and they said no. That’s when I just about collapsed.” Thursday morning the lights were back on, the door was open, and flowers began to adorn the footpath. “My brother made it quite clear a long time ago, if he died first, I was not to shut the shop until the day of his funeral,” John said. True to Karam’s wishes, Haddad Menswear has been shut just one-and-a-half of its usual opening days in the past week, with all hands-on deck to ensure the door stayed open. John said it was unbelievable how hard his employees had worked to enable him to meet his brother’s wishes. ‘VERY HUMBLING’ “To be honest it’s a good thing that I’m here [in the shop] because people have been so supportive and I would not have wanted to miss it, to miss them and to hear what they have to say. “So many nice words, so many wonderful comments. It has been very humbling for me, no doubt about that.” In the days following Karam’s death, the shop became a gathering point for all those who wanted to pay their respects. Through tears in the middle of aisles and spilling out onto the footpath, memories were shared of the man who had provided love, support, laughter, and a well-fitting pair of jeans to so many. “Openly people have told me they love me, and they mean it, they’re not just making talk,” John said through a sob. “We have a bit of a cry and it’s just terrible, but it’s beautiful to see the love there.” SALES IN BLOOD Karam was born in December 1939 to Lebanese immigrants Michael Haddad and Rumza Malouf. Sales was in his blood with his father opening Michael’s Milk Bar in 1935. At four-years-old a smiling Karam was featured on advertising material proclaiming his love for his daddy’s milkshakes. Karam ventured into business for himself at 25-years-old in 1965 with the establishment of Haddad Menswear. With some renovations, including the knocking down of walls and a new roof, Haddad Menswear became what it is today. John joined the business in 1971 and said he and Karam worked together mostly in harmony for 50 years, though at times they had their disagreements. “I always say if you’re with someone for a long time – whether that be working together or in a relationship – you’ve got to argue sometimes otherwise only one brain is working.” LOVE OF HELPING PEOPLE John said Karam’s love of helping people was what kept him coming back to the shop every day for so many years. “[It was] the interaction and the friendship. Everyone who came through the door, he got excited when he saw them.” John said he knew he and Karam were loved by the community. “And we love them too. “Our customers, they become extended family in a very short time.” Karam was a keen musician who learned to play the piano from sheet music but then moved to playing by ear. “He learned his own way of playing and he used the basic scales of piano playing but moved things around a bit and then was able to do it without reading music.” Karam used to substitute into bands and would be called on to play piano, John said. “But he never ever did it as a paid job. He did it for pleasure.” PIANIST In the wake of Karam’s death a video resurfaced of him playing the piano at the Artbeat event in Ōtorohanga last year. “That piano that day must have been brand new, it was beautiful, and he was taken by it,” John said. “Someone heard him playing a key and said, ‘get on there Karam, play us a tune.’” While Karam was known to most for his presence on the main street, he was also a loved and respected father of four and grandfather of five. He had four children Kirstin, Michael, David and Rochelle and five grandchildren Scarlett, Richie and George, Darcy and Braxton. They travelled from around New Zealand and as far away as America following news of the crash. NEWS TOUCHED EVERYONE News of Karam’s death touched people in Ōtorohanga, throughout New Zealand and internationally. A King Country News post on facebook informing people about Karam being the victim of a crash gathered more than 400 comments from people expressing their upset and for many, their memories. More than 1000 responded via emoticon in the first hour of the post going up. Commenters remembered Karam as a true gentleman, an Ōtorohanga icon and a huge part of the community. MEANT A ‘HECK OF A LOT’ Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter said Karam “meant a heck of a lot” to him and would be sadly missed. “I think for me [Karam’s death] leaves a big hole in the Ōtorohanga community.” Max said Ōtorohanga is known around the country for its hanging baskets and for being the kiwiana capital of New Zealand, but he thought it was even more known for the Haddad store. “It is known for Karam and John, it’s known for the years and years they’ve wrapped up clothing in paper, it’s known for if you go in for a pair of socks you come out with seven items.” Karam was respected throughout the country and was a prime example of what a good work ethic looked like, Max said, because even at 82 years of age he was at the shop opening the doors at 7.30 every morning. He knew his product and brought old-school values into the modern age, which was part of why he was so successful, Max thought. “You’d think you were a certain size and Karam would look at you and go ‘no you’re not’ because he knew his product.” HONOURED Max was honoured to accept John’s request to speak at Karam’s funeral yesterday and said he never expected his role as mayor would lead him to speak at anyone’s funeral. “John said the reason I’m getting you to speak is not only because you are the mayor but because Karam really had so much respect for you. “For me that’s quite touching because it was never outwardly displayed, but to know that when I left their business they would talk about me and it was [a conversation] of respect meant a lot.” John is convinced the world will see Karam Haddad again. “We know his body only goes down in the casket, but his spirit goes above. “I firmly believe in reincarnation and one day Karam will come back, we’ll see him again.”
