CHAYBAN'S LLC
SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

Chayban started his tailoring business more than 30 years ago, building and sustaining a repoutation as a premier tailor. And one, as he puts it, who makes “everything from scratch,” at Walden Galleria location, for a wide range of customers – from prom dresses for high schoolers to business wear for professionals to suits for Buffalo Bills players. Despite the advent of cheaper off-the-rack garments that are inexpensive to replace, Chayban’s business making custom-made clothes has enjoyed longevity. “All I knew was I coming to a nice, beautiful place,” Chayban recalls. “And I just wanted to be big — have a big business.” During his first few years in Buffalo, he worked 80-hour weeks, putting in hours for different tailors and doing shifts at local plants. By 1978, he’d saved enough to open his first store. Other locations followed, and at one point, he had 10 stores. While not formally educated, Chayban has innate business sense. In the beginning, his stores were concentrated in the city, and he made only men’s business suits. But some customers only needed alterations, women wanted wedding gowns and other dresses; suburban residents wanted him closer; and other customers wanted dry cleaning services. Over time, Chayban honored all of their requests. Five of his six stores are in the suburbs, multiple locations offer dry cleaning, and custom wedding gowns are a big part of his business. He also added a wide selection of fabrics, including English wool and Italian silk. “I wanted to make the business everything they wanted and make my service fast and convenient,” he said. “Business is good because we do everything. So when dry cleaning is down, wedding dresses are downs, suits are up, so we do OK.” “I started when I was 7 years old, just a little kid,” Chayban explained. “A lot of people don’t have the knowledge about sewing and making clothes that I have. I have more experience than most tailors.” But for now, Chayban is content and busy with his current locations. He manages his Walden Galleria store, putting in 15 hours a day. The store is his newest and most successful. It’s the site of his custom tailoring operations, the heart of his business. Chayban said the 2000 move into the mall brought him new customers, including a lot Canadians, and the location, with tiled exterior, golden entrance and lights around the large display windows, solidified a dream come true.