Business: Drive Thru Cigarettes
Address: 407 E. Ogden Ave., Naperville
Phone: (630) 416-7777
Owner: Manoj Shah, 52, of Glendale Heights
Years in business: 10
What does your business do? “We sell cigarettes, cigars and lottery tickets. Some (soda) pops,” Shah said.
How’s your business been doing lately? “It’s good.”
How small is this building? “I think it’s maybe 8 feet-by-8 feet. Not even 100 square feet.”
Why did you start this business? “I got laid off from a job in 2011. After that, I started another job – I was manager of a gas station – but I was not comfortable there. So, I started doing this.”
Do you still manage that gas station? “No. This is the main job. This is where I’m working now.”
Is this enough to make a living? “It’s good.”
Where do your customers come from? “A lot of my customers are from the neighborhood, but a lot of them have been moving to Arizona, Florida. They say, ‘Hey, bye, I’m not coming anymore.’ I ask why. They say, ‘There are too many taxes. Taxes are too high. I don’t want to pay any more.’ “
What hours are you open? “Right now, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday is 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Sundays, we are closed.”
What kind of prices do you charge? “The same as in stores. It depends on the brand. If you buy a single pack it’s a different price, a two-pack is a different price. I have a loyalty program, they get a discount. They get $1.40 off a multipack, but just on Marlboro (products).”
What is the most popular brand of cigarettes? “Marlboro.”
Are menthol cigarettes still selling? “Yes, yes.”
Do you smoke? “No, I do not smoke.”
How old do you have to be to buy cigarettes or cigars? “You have to be 21. I have signs posted in the window, and inside the store. If you are 20, no sale. I check IDs.”
How many employees do you have? “I work by myself. My wife works here at times. Her name is Rashmika. We’ve been married 21 years.”
There’s not a lot of room in here, does it bother you? “Sometimes. But I sit in my chair, watch TV. I have the Internet. Music.”
More Top Picks Best Air Fresheners
When are you busiest? “Lunch time and evening time. People (stop here) on the way home from their jobs.”
Is being on a busy street like Ogden Avenue good for business? “This is good.”
Do people order at one window and pick up their purchase at the other window? “No, both sides.”
Are there more men or women who shop here? “More women because they don’t have to step out (of the car). The women are in their 50s, 60s.”
What’s the age group that buys here? “Very few of my customers are under 30.”
Do you sell vaping products? “I sell some, yes.”
How did the virus impact your business? “When the pandemic started, my sales were up. It was the distance. They’re in the car. I’m in here, wearing a mask. It was so easy.”
What do you like best about your business? “The freedom. And I like to connect with the people. They are friends.”
Any negatives to your job? “Actually, no. But I don’t like it when it’s slow.”
When did you move here from India? “Twenty years ago.”
Do you miss home? “Yes, of course. I’m from Bombay. The New York of India is Bombay.”
Do you have any funny stories? “I sometimes see people pull over laughing outside this small building. … A bunch of people will stop and take pictures of the store. Sometimes, they take pictures of me outside the store.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Any kind of business? Check the location, the neighborhood, the crime rate for the neighborhood. And, ask to see the tax records for the last five years. A new business is different. But an existing business, the last five years of tax records will tell you how the business has been doing. … And, be prepared to work long hours.”
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at [email protected].
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.