Life Upended. The coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact on our nation, and it has touched Staten Islanders in countless ways. In this series, reporter Tracey Porpora will share the stories of those who have been thrust into situations that were unimaginable just a few months ago -- those who have seen their life completely upended. This is the thirty-fifth story of “Life Upended.”
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When Kimberly Kallaitzakis, 48, who runs the New Dorp-based Luke’s Copy Shop -- which her father, Loucas Callas, 72, started in 1973 -- goes home after a long day of work, she needs to figure out which bills she can pay.
The shop’s main business is printing everything from fliers and brochures to business cards and menus.
With more than 50% of the business lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, she has been seeking ways to pay the company’s bills and keep the business -- which her father started at the age of 20 out of his garage -- open.
And she’s not giving up. She won’t let her father’s legacy die.
Loucas and Roberta Callas started Luke's Copy Shop out of their garage in 1973. (Courtesy of Kimberly Kallaitzakis)
“I definitely will not give up on my business. This is something my father built for us. At the age of 16 my father’s parents -- who were from Crete, Greece -- lost their business, and he was homeless for a little while,” said Kallaitzakis.
“He had to quit school and give up a scholarship to work three jobs. At the age of 20 he built this business. ...My father’s worst fear in life is us -- his four kids -- being hungry the way he was as a kid. There is just no way I’m giving up on this business; I won’t let this business go down,” she said.
And the shop comes from humble beginnings. Her father first ran the business from his Great Kills home’s garage, which he still lives in today.
From left: Cheryl Kallaitzakis, Kimberly Kallaitzakis, Angela Kallaitzakis and George Kallaitzakis. (Courtesy of Kimberly Kallaitzakis)
“My parents bought a press and put it in the garage,” said Kallaitzakis. “Once they made a little money, they rented a place. My father had to work seven days a week. And when I was a little girl, I had to go to work with my father on Saturdays so I could see him. ...The shop is all myself and my siblings know.”
Since her mother, Roberta Callas, 70, had a stroke last year, and her father suffers from emphysema, Kallaitzakis, who also has epilepsy, has been running the copy shop.
LOST BUSINESS
But with so many businesses and school activities closed or cancelled due to the pandemic, the shop has lost the lion’s share of revenue.
“When everything first shut down in March, restaurants were calling and ordering 30 menus, when they used to order thousands,” said Kallaitzakis. “We would print these small orders, and I’d bring them home and leave them on my doorstep for pick up, or we would deliver them. I wanted to make sure that everyone else [other business owners] who were hurting, had whatever they needed. We’ve been in business so long we have customers who come over our house for barbecues. ...Our customers are like our family.”
Kimberly Kallaitzakis has kept a drive-up window open for Luke's Copy Shop customers during the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy of Kimberly Kallaitzakis)
She noted that the customer base includes many senior citizens, who Kallaitzakis said still call and want to come in “just for one copy.”
“We’ve always been the people they could come and talk to,” she said.
For safety against the virus, Kallaitzakis -- who runs the business with two of her siblings, George and Angela Kallaitzakis -- has kept only a drive-up window open during the pandemic to service customers. In addition, Luke’s Copy Shop makes deliveries every day, she said.
“Some days you only make $40; some days you make more. I have some loyal customers who have placed orders for things like mailings that helps me pay the bills. But when business is cut in half, you feel it,” said Kallaitzakis.
“We are just surviving and trying to pay our bills. But we are not making anything,” she added.
George Kallaitzakis at work at the copy shop. He owns the business with his sisters Angela and Kimberly. (Courtesy of Kimberly Kallaitzakis)
She said the shop received some money from the government Paycheck Protection Program, and her parents had to take from their savings to keep the business afloat.
The only way Kallaitzakis said she can recoup lost business, is when venues, such as catering halls, reopen and schools are back to full in-person learning.
“We have all full-color machines and we do blueprints as well. We also print on calendars, keychains, pens and more,” said Kallaitzakis. “We do same-day invitations. A lot of weddings that had to be rescheduled need new invitations. We also do same-day fliers.”
EXPANDING OFFERINGS
To help boost business, she is working to create personalized T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats.
“A lot of catering halls order stuff like that, so that’s something I’m going to be looking into,” she said, noting she is also doing outreach to her customer base to let them know the shop will make deliveries for any orders.
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