|
|
|
DOWN TO BUSINESS — wireless zone
Born and raised in Queens, Michael Racaniello was and equity trader on Wall Street who knew he wanted to own his own business some day — and after witnessing first-hand the events of Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, it wasn’t long before he knew, the time was right.
In April of that next year, he moved is family to upstate New York, and, after learning the lay of the land and gaining the expertise he needed, he opened Wireless Zone in Ontario.
Named Business of the Month by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, his success was fueled by what he lost that September morning, 10 years ago.
“I went home and told my wife ‘there’s a better life out there and we’re going to find it,’” he said.
Michael had just spent the last 10 hours trying to get home.
“I was in Midtown in a board meeting when someone said ‘You’re not going to believe it, but a plane hit the World Trade Center,’” Michael recalled.
They thought it was some poor small airplane pilot that hit the building.
But then, they saw the news coverage on television.
“I hit the nearest ATM and took out as much as it would let me take,” he said, knowing he may need it to get out of the city.
Like hundreds of others, he started walking up Park Avenue.
“I started to see people with torn clothing, burns and covered in soot from head to toe — and the towers weren’t even down yet,” he said.
It got worse when they did collapse, the gray dust covered everyone and everything.
“Now covered in that gray soot, people looked for any kind of help — for water,” he said. “Everywhere you walked you would bump into people.
He also realized, there was no way out of Manhattan.
It was getting late by the time ferries were available.
We took the ferry down the coast of Manhattan,” Michael recalled. “You could see this gap, the hole where the towers used to be. It was totally dead silent for the 45-minute ride. That’s when I finally realized what happened.”
Landing in New Jersey, they were fire-hosed from head to toe to get rid of any asbestos and loaded into school busses.
Living at that time outside of the city, he finally got home at 7 p.m.
DOWN TO BUSINESS — wireless zone
Born and raised in Queens, Michael Racaniello was and equity trader on Wall Street who knew he wanted to own his own business some day — and after witnessing first-hand the events of Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, it wasn’t long before he knew, the time was right.
In April of that next year, he moved is family to upstate New York, and, after learning the lay of the land and gaining the expertise he needed, he opened Wireless Zone in Ontario.
Named Business of the Month by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, his success was fueled by what he lost that September morning, 10 years ago.
“I went home and told my wife ‘there’s a better life out there and we’re going to find it,’” he said.
Michael had just spent the last 10 hours trying to get home.
“I was in Midtown in a board meeting when someone said ‘You’re not going to believe it, but a plane hit the World Trade Center,’” Michael recalled.
They thought it was some poor small airplane pilot that hit the building.
But then, they saw the news coverage on television.
“I hit the nearest ATM and took out as much as it would let me take,” he said, knowing he may need it to get out of the city.
Like hundreds of others, he started walking up Park Avenue.
“I started to see people with torn clothing, burns and covered in soot from head to toe — and the towers weren’t even down yet,” he said.
It got worse when they did collapse, the gray dust covered everyone and everything.
“Now covered in that gray soot, people looked for any kind of help — for water,” he said. “Everywhere you walked you would bump into people.
He also realized, there was no way out of Manhattan.
It was getting late by the time ferries were available.
We took the ferry down the coast of Manhattan,” Michael recalled. “You could see this gap, the hole where the towers used to be. It was totally dead silent for the 45-minute ride. That’s when I finally realized what happened.”
Landing in New Jersey, they were fire-hosed from head to toe to get rid of any asbestos and loaded into school busses.
Living at that time outside of the city, he finally got home at 7 p.m.
Later that night he learned that his cousin — and many of his work associates — were killed in the attack.
Taking a leap of faith, Michael said, he packed up his life in New York City, Michael and his wife, Ivonne, moved their three daughters to upstate New York.
Living in Pittsford, Michael found another plus, more time with family.
He’s become more involved with them, their activities, and the community as a whole — something he sees his new business complimenting. He’s planning on sponsoring Little League and being a supporter of local schools and their fundraisers.
Michael, who describes himself as an entrepreneurial person, also has big plans in what he sees and a young industry. His biggest seller — Apple products like the iPhone.
“Apple does a tremendous job of hype,” he said. “They are marketing geniuses. The have almost a cult-like following.”
He’s confident that within three to four years, he’ll outgrow and expand his 1,200-square-foot store and open a second location somewhere in Wayne County, most likely along the Route 31 corridor.
“Ten-year-olds today will never own a land line,” he said of the ever-evolving telecommunications industry. “This industry is only about 25 years old. It has a lot of growth ahead of it.”
Name of business
Wireless Zone
Street address
6820 Furnace Road, Ontario in the Tops Plaza
Name of owner
Michael Racaniello
Business opened
September under current owner; store opened December 2009 under a different owner
Services or products provided
Complete Verizon premium retailer, including cell phones, tablets, mobile broadband hotspots.
Contact information
(315) 524-3339
www.wirelesszone.com/ontario
Find them on Facebook Wireless-Zone-Ontario-NY
Days and hours of operation
Monday 10-6, Tuesday 10-7 Wednesday, 10-6, Thursday 10-7, Friday and Saturday 10-5, Sunday 10-2
Onsite or street parking
Parking lot
Stroke of luck or moment of inspiration that made your business possible
I’ve always been an entrepreneurial person. I’ve been in environments where I can create my own business and wanted to control my own destiny. I gained enough experience to do it — control my own destiny, even in tough economic times.
This item is always in your fridge/freezer at home
A lot of green vegetables — my wife is a personal trainer. She always them in the house to consume. Whether we do or not, is a different story. His fridge staple is Franks Hot Sauce.
Song, movie or television show that best describes your business/life
Last Man Standing
If you could have dinner with one person, living or dead, you’d choose
Dan “Rudy” Ruettiger, the Notre Dame football player who was told he would never succeed and he did. He never gave up. That’s very inspirational to me.
