Pak-American Gives Building Worth $1.6m to Community

Zaki Uddin Khalifa opened his first rug store in a small downtown showroom 27 years ago. He had just moved to High Point from Pakistan and had little money for advertising. But his small store grew to become on of the largest Oriental rug stores in the United States with a helping hand from the High Point business community.

Now, he is returning the favor.

The High Point Chamber of Commerce announced Monday that Khalifa has donated a 23,000-square-foot building to the chamber for it to use as a new headquarters. Worth $1.6 million, the building at 1634 N. Main Street is the largest corporate gift ever given to the High Point Chamber of Commerce.

"I felt donating (the building) would be a good gesture in service to the community where I've lived for 27 years," Khalifa said. "We should all do our best to make our community a better place to live, and this is a move in that direction…