For the past 34 years, Sheryl Santi-Luks has been moving the Hudson Valley. When it came time to expand her business, it didn”™t take long to find a mover: she just got her staff and truckers together and hired herself to do it.
Based in Haverstraw, the original company Sant-Luks and her late husband, John Santi, founded in 1974 is still in operation. Her newer, larger moving and storage company, Santi Express, in Clarkstown Executive Park in Valley Cottage gives Santi-Luks plenty of room for climate-controlled storage space, a bright new office, and two additional offices and reception area.
“Our new 7,000-square-foot space is already too small,” says Santi-Luks. “So many people are moving, but either their house isn”™t ready or they are only renting in a new location and they”™re not sure it will be a good fit for them. As a result, we already have 74 containers with customers”™ goods packed and waiting, and we expect to be at capacity in no time.”
Most women wanted diamonds or furs, but Santi-Luks treated herself during the holidays to what most women “don”™t even think of putting on their wish list ”“ a new $23,000 forklift to move our shipping crates.” They”™re all the same size. “This way, if we get a call that someone is ready for their furniture, all we do is lift it onto the truck and we”™re set to go.” Several customers have multiple containers waiting to be brought to their new homes. Until then, they”™ll wait in the new warehouse space.
One wall holds dozens of sofas, wrapped tightly for protection. “We want people to be comfortable knowing we are treating their furniture with care,” she says. “They want it to look as wonderful as it did the day we moved it out for them.
“This is not your typical storage facility. People don”™t come in and go into their containers to pick up a few things or exchange winter wear for summer clothing. This is basically for those on the move ”“ who aren”™t quite sure where or when they are going ”“ so they leave the packing and shipping to us.”
A new loading dock in the back of Santi Express”™ new warehouse is perfect for its owner and her staff. “Many of my drivers have been with me almost from the beginning. I”™m really lucky to have great staff. We”™ve also been able to hire a receptionist and, of course, we plan to expand as we grow. Right now, residential moving is a bit down, but storage is up, so we”™re holding our own.”
Santi-Luks says many of her Rockland customers who moved to Orange County are “coming back to Rockland. The taxes are killing them up there, so they are doing a reverse move. Our taxes aren”™t much better, but we are more built out and stable than Orange County.”
Moving from her old location in Haverstraw (where she still maintains a presence) was a major undertaking for Santi-Luks, and a dream come true for the woman business owner. “We are very fortunate to be in this corporate park, not only because of its Empire Zone benefits, but because the owner, Uri Sasson, is more than just a builder and owner. He”™s right here working on the ground every day. If we need a larger space, he”™ll arrange it. If someone wants to downsize, Uri will arrange for them to have smaller space. You couldn”™t ask for a better landlord.”
Santi-Luks says her moving business is approximately 70 percent residential, 30 percent commercial, “but we are seeing more corporate relocations and are doing some right here in the office park. Corporate relocations are, in some ways, easier than household moves,” says Santi-Luks. “File cabinets don”™t talk back!”
As far as her own office move from Haverstraw to Valley Cottage, there was a little hair-pulling but they got through it without damage. “You need to have everything up and running on day one,” says Santi-Luks. “We had some telephone and data problems, and in any business, you can”™t afford to be down a minute.” But aside from a few minor glitches, Santi-Luks and her staff are ready to roll.
Uri Sasson, who owns the 75-acre corporate park, says he eventually expects to build it out to one million square feet. “Most of our currently leased space, approximately 500,000 to 600,000 square feet of warehouse and related office space, is full. We are in the Empire Zone, and right now, I”™m in the approval process with the town of Clarkstown for another 72,000-square-foot building and hope that we”™ll be finalized by July.” Sasson acknowledged, “It”™s harder to get through he process than actually build, but Rockland is running out of space and I honestly think there”™s a shift in thinking on the part of the politicians and community. We need rateables, and we have clean, great businesses coming in, like Santi Express.”
