A chat with Alex Avizov and Emmanuel Izrailov
Our community has a diverse population. Some of us are professionals, some businessmen, and some provide services of all kinds. However, the one thing almost all members of the community are passionate about is the standing of our ethnic group. It is not uncanny to discover that many members carry weight normally beyond the norm; we stand up for each other and help when we can. Pooled talent is always greater than the sum of its parts; the saying “two heads are greater than one” doesn’t just indicate quantity, but also quality. The following interview follows the story of two Bukharian Jews who decided to work together and offer their community an alternative to the basic auto garage. Besides for their business prowess, they are also rising in the ranks of benefactors for the community’s biggest not-for-profits. Alex (Emmanuel) Avizov and Emmanuel Izrailov show that business and personal life can blend in the best of ways, deepening friendships and supporting the greater community.
BJL: Please tell our readers how your business and partnership began.
AA: All this was actually not where I started my career. I began my work in the television industry and decided to leave it all behind me and place my trust in G-d. I did not feel that I would be able to keep Shabbat if I continued on my path, and so six years ago, I left the industry and began this project with my neighbor at the time. He is my business partner and good friend, Emanuel Izrailov.
BJL: Beautiful. So what services does your business offer?
AA: We are a full service auto body shop. We have two locations, one at the border between Rego Park and Forest Hills; our second location is in South Jamaica, next to the Five Towns. We hope to G-d willing open a third shop as well soon.
[Emmanuel Izrailov joins us at this point] BJL: Emmanuel, please tell our readers a little about yourself.
EA: You do what you love, and I always loved working with cars. Since I was younger I would take apart, put together, and generally work with bicycles and eventually motorcycles. Today my partner and I view ourselves as car doctors of sorts. Cars have become an integral part if many people’s lives. We rely on them to get us around; some of us even rely on them for work! We want to make the experience of maintenance and repair as seamless as possible so that our clients can get back to what’s important in their lives. We view our success as truly dependent on customer satisfaction, and are happy for the opportunity to extend our services into the Five Towns, where many of our community members are relocating.
BJL: You mentioned earlier that the auto shop is a one-stop shop for all servicing needs. Do you offer anything else other than services?
EA: Yes. We also deal with car leasing at the termination of a leasing contract. Just bring the car to one of our shops and we will take care of the rest. We also carry used cars for those interested. We keep our business open to many avenues and try to offer a complete auto experience.
BJL: Both of you offer extensive support to many local organizations and programs that help the community. Can you tell us a little about this aspect of your partnership?
AA: We are both products of Beth Gavriel [reminiscently smiles]. We feel like family with our community; it goes beyond the level of customers or clients.
EA: We both lived in Rego Park and breathed the same air as our community members. We feel that helping each other is really like helping family. We help organizations like Emet and Chaverim because we know how important they are to the wellbeing of our community. Chazaq is in the same boat. We recognize how far our community has come in the past decade and understand the need for such organizations and their work.
Today, the two of us live in Bukharian communities outside of Rego Park; we have become part of the expansion we so intimately support. G-d willing, we hope to help the progress every way we can.
BJL: Being in your line of work, are there any messages that you would like to send our readers regarding their auto experiences?
EA: People need to know their options. Like in every field, knowledge is power and the choices we make empower us to live more comfortably. Therefore, the first advice for your readers is that they should not allow themselves to be pressured into making a hasty choice - not by insurance companies or injury lawyers or anything like that. In all accidents, it is crucial that parties involved file police reports. Reports rely on evidence, so don’t be phone-shy. Take out the camera and record statements made by other people and the circumstances and settings of the accident. We even offer dash cams that install at the front and back of your car to make this easier. These are inexpensive methods of protecting yourself on the road.
The second point is that all imported, expensive cars should carry glass coverage. Make sure to check your insurance premiums and ensure that they cover all the important points. Some people pay exorbitant prices and don’t even receive fair coverage. Also, play with the premium so that your deductible remains at $500. There should be plenty of wiggle room to receive adequate coverage and still maintain a deductible of $500. But all this depends on the customer’s knowledge subsequent interest to make sure things are fair. Furthermore, customers need to be aware of the limit of their coverage policies. Many standard policies offer around $50,000 coverage, but we recommend purchasing higher coverage because of the very real risk of accidents with more expensive vehicles. Many cars on the road today cost more than $50,000, and if insurance won’t cover the damage, it will be taken from a different pocket, G-d forbid. The greater reason for larger coverage is compensation for personal injury, which can far exceed the damage to a vehicle.
Finally, customers should know that different insurance companies limit their coverage to specific auto body shops. We happen to work with many different insurance companies and also provide free estimates and advice. If any of your readers have any questions about what we discussed in this interview, or anything else auto related, please give us a call. The advice we give is free and can save your readers a lot of headaches down the line.
East Coast Auto Plaza is located at 85-17 68th in Road in Rego Park. They can be reached at 718-897-2100. They also have a second location at 175-14 147th Ave. in Jamaica.
By Adam Suionov
The Men Behind East Coast Auto Plaza
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