It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play….
While New York City and Beatlemaniacs everywhere are marking the 50th anniversary of The Beatles arriving in New York, we at Bussani Mobility are celebrating a few anniversaries of our own that we are excited about.
In 1974, our founder John Bussani, brought a dream to life. A brief stay at an Army Hospital during the Vietnam era was the catalyst for John Bussani’s vision to improve the quality of life for veterans, and ultimately many other people. 40 years ago John began his family owned business out of the trunk of his car by offering the installation of hand controls in vehicles for people living with physical disabilities. Over the next few years, the news spread by word-of-mouth. People learned about a service that was enabling handicapped individuals to reclaim their mobility…and their independence. Before long, folks from all over Long Island and the five Boroughs were reaching out to John for assistance. He was onto a life-changing product. John’s vision was, without a doubt, something people wanted and needed:
mobility and freedom.
Over the next 10 years the business grew with Bussani’s first facility opening in Freeport, New York in 1980. It was common to see the roof of a van being removed and replaced with a raised fiberglass top. Cutting the floors out of vans and making them lower so a wheelchair user could drive himself/herself, or be easily transported, was an everyday occurrence. Next, John hired client-turned-employee Peter Zarba, who uses a wheelchair himself. Peter was able to personally connect with, guide and support clients while John focused on the technical side of the business. This perfect blending of the strengths of two talented men resulted in their ability to enrich the lives of so many people.
The Mamaroneck Showroom
As the business grew, more locations were needed to serve the Metro-New York region. In 2004, John along with his son Dan established our second location in Mamaroneck. This new location made it easier for people in the Bronx, the Hudson Valley and southwest Connecticut to experience the commitment to the disabled community. As our Mamaroneck location celebrated their 10th anniversary we look forward to the coming year with great hope and excitement.
Our Smithtown Store Front
Finally, our newest location in Smithtown is celebrating it first anniversary serving Suffolk county. Newly installed store manager Andrew Parente along with new Mobility Specialist Mike Garramone and the entire service staff are working hard to increase growth for this newest office.
Along with our company and our offices celebrating anniversaries, many of our employees are as well and we look forward to sharing their stories here over the coming year.