"Nani's Shop"

A touch of Morocco blows through Vorarlberg

Narjisse Zaher comes from Casablanca and only wanted to take "a little time out" in Vorarlberg.(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

Narjisse Zaher comes from Casablanca. She has lived in Vorarlberg for 18 years and brings a Moroccan lifestyle to the region with her store "Nani's Shop".

When you enter the small store in Feldkirch's Neustadt district, you leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind you. Narjisse greets you with a warm smile and pours you a fresh cup of Moroccan tea. "Just arrive, feel at home and tell stories," she says. You should bring some time with you to browse through the many small, colorful things. From natural cosmetics - such as the well-known argan oil - to typical spices such as the Ras el-Hanout mixture, you will find a wide variety of products that evoke vacation feelings. "Pickled lemons immediately give dishes a fresh kick," says Narjisse, explaining her range. She admits that her store also makes her a little homesick for Morocco. Products such as tajini pots, stools and babouche shoes are selected by her and her family in Morocco. She started with a small range that has grown more and more.

Once or twice a year, she travels to Casablanca and visits the different regions of the country from there in order to showcase all the facets of her homeland and bring the diverse crafts to the country. Sometimes she also finds what she is looking for at the souq (market). Narjisse's aim is to offer a little Moroccan lifestyle - with the scent of spices, the colors of the pompoms on hats or with artistic ceramics.

Travel tips and Vorarlberg mountain cheese
Despite her open and communicative manner, it is not easy to attract Vorarlberg residents to the store. "Many associate Morocco with the Arabian Nights. Nevertheless, some people walk past umpteen times before they dare to come in," she says of everyday life in the region. Once you enter, you quickly realize that a whole new culture opens up here. If you want to explore Morocco yourself, Narjisse is not stingy with travel tips.

She herself came to Vorarlberg at the age of 29. Her aunt already lived here and Narjisse wanted to take a little break from the stressful life in a big city. She had only planned to stay for a few weeks, but this turned into almost 20 years in Vorarlberg. The Moroccan woman particularly likes the peace and quiet and the greenery on her doorstep. And she loves mountain cheese! "If I ever live somewhere else, I'll open a store selling Vorarlberg specialties!"