Long Beach resident Faina Busso recently moved her high-end bridal store, Lavan Couture, from Brooklyn to Woodmere, deciding it was time to reduce her daily commute and re-establish her store in a nice suburban setting.
“I like this area, because my customers won’t have to deal with all the traffic and the noise,” she said about moving her store to 5 Irving Place a few weeks ago. “This is a very calm environment, where you don’t feel bombarded. I’m not concerned about losing my old customers, because I have clients all over the country. They will definitely follow me to Long Island, because the gowns are spectacular.”
Busso said that her skills would be put to good use in this community, because she has had a lot of experience in making modest gowns, which are often sought after in Jewish communities. She said that there’s no limit to the type of gown she is able to create, based on the bride’s vision — from understated traditional to ornate modern, and everything in between. Dresses can also be purchased off the rack, with a few personal embellishments if desired. She also sells bridal accessories, as well as mother’s dresses for weddings, bar mitzvahs and other special occasions.
As far as the competition, such as Wedding Dresser Couture, which is around the corner, Busso sees it as a good thing.
“It’s wonderful, because it helps draw more brides to the area," she said. "There’s a florist and a photographer right here too. The more bridal vendors there are, the better it is for all of us.”
Waffles!
Lawrence’s new kosher eatery, Waffelino, located at 310 Central Ave., is a spacious café that serves up waffles all day long and well into the late evening. Mikael Kavian opened his new store nearly a month ago, with the help of his family — most notably his mother Mahrokh, whose famous batter recipe was the catalyst for his venture.
In addition to the traditional waffle, there is also chocolate, red velvet, lemon, amaretto and sugar. Each one comes with a choice of two toppings, including ice cream, fruit, candy and dozens of others. Hot and cold beverages are available as well.
Kavian is already considering opening a second store if this first one takes off. Judging from the huge crowds it’s already drawing on Saturday nights, his hope for expansion may come to fruition.
“Originally, my son was looking for a place in Cedarhurst, but none of the vacant restaurants were as big and bright as this one,” Kavian’s mother said. “He invested a lot of money and time in this place, and I think he did a great job.”
Waffelino will hold an official grand opening on Wednesday, offering a deal to buy one waffle, get the second half off.
Computer help
CMIT Solutions of Southwest Nassau arrived in Hewlett in May. This information technology business fixes and maintains computers for small local businesses and residents. Some of its services include virus scanning and repair, system backups, spyware removal, fixing slow networks, remote monitoring, and the creation and maintenance of websites.
Owner David Merkin bought the franchise, located at 224 Franklin Ave., after more than 20 years in the business.
“Because I live in the Five Towns, I know a lot of people and have contacts in the area,” he said. “I like the idea of providing an important service to people in my community. If there is a problem, I will go to the location with a technician to assess the situation, give them some options and see what direction they would like to go in.”
Part of that assessment is offering advice as to whether a client should fix, upgrade or replace a system. Merkin has been getting the word out about his new business through direct mail, email newsletters and brochures. The company also sells computers, as well as software and hardware.
