Who are they?
Both Teek and Vee Persaud were born in Guyana, South America. They emigrated to America with their parents when
they were 16 and 14, respectively. They come from a family of business people. Their
parents started and built a successful business in Guyana before they decided to move
their 4 children to the United States. They felt that with the political unrest in Guyana,
their family would be safer and have a better chance for a successful future in the U.S.
How right they were! In 1982, at age 20, Teek purchased a small candy store in Manhattan,
NY. Just about this time, Vee moved to Canada to help their older sister, Hetri and her
husband Ray, with their business - a deli in downtown Toronto. They went on to build a
successful fast food business consisting of pizza, hamburgers, chicken, etc.
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While running the candy store in the early 1980's, Teek
noticed the booming real estate market in NY. He ventured into this arena, purchasing
houses, fixing them up and reselling them for a profit. As this business grew, Vee
returned to The Empire State and the two became partners. Teek primarily ran the candy
store that included a grill for breakfast and lunch specials while Vee took care of their
growing real estate holdings.
How did they go from NYC to Bloomingburg? Blooming Where?
It turns out that their other sister, Gita, who lived in the
Bronx, NY, was married to George, a Montgomery, NY native. His family resided (and still
does) in the Village of Montgomery in Orange County. His father, Dan Bosch, (some of you
may be familiar with his creative handiwork in birdhouses found for sale at the Quickway
Diner) was a real estate salesperson. One fine day, in 1986, as Gita and George were
visiting their family, the listing for the diner was mentioned. George saw an opportunity
that he knew was right up Teek and Vee's alley. Although a bit hesitant about the move
from The Big Apple to this small town, Teek and Vee saw an opportunity that they could not
pass up. With a bit of research, intuition, and foresight, they realized Orange County
would continue to be one of the fastest growing areas in the country. At that time, it was
considered to be "a great place to live" by the national magazines and polls.
Today, Route 17 (a.k.a. The Quickway) will soon be Interstate 86, Stewart International
Airport continues to expand, and tourism in this Hudson Valley region continues to grow.
In other words, their intuition was right on the money.
Teek sold his candy store in Manhattan and moved to Bloomingburg. The deal was closed and
the Persaud brothers became the new owners of the Quickway
Diner & Restaurant and the Twin Cone Ice Cream Shop. Gita decided
to quit her job in the city to help reopen the business. After being non-operational for
over 6 months, it took a lot of hard work, determination and planning to reopen but the
family was fortunate enough to re-hire most of the previously displaced employees. On May
4, 1987, at 4:30 a.m., Teek and Gita literally opened the doors of the renovated Quickway
Diner to a handful of people already waiting outside for the famous Quickway coffee
they've come to love.
And now, a Quick history of the Quickway Diner - the Diner first opened in 1955 as the
construction of Route 17 was being completed (coincidentally, the same year that George
was born. Yes, the very same one who encouraged them to explore the possibility of
purchasing the Diner in 1986!) Route 17 was nicknamed the Quickway because it was the
quickest route from NYC to the Catskills region. Since the Diner, which consisted only of
the front section of the current structure, was right off Exit 116 of the Quickway, it
became a very popular stop for the local residents, commuters, and tourists.
Now, back to 1986. As Teek and Gita ran the Diner, Vee remained in NYC to run their real
estate business. Both he and George traveled the hour-an-half trip from NYC to
Bloomingburg every weekend to help with the Diner. In July 1987, Gita and George became
pregnant (rumor has it that the baby was conceived at the Quickway!). After Varian,
referred to by many as the Quickway Baby, was born, Gita decided to resume her career back
in the city. As the Diner continued to prosper and the catering increased, Vee was needed
much more than weekends and eventually moved upstate. With their consistent hard work,
honesty, and of course that catchy advertising jingle that you cannot get it out of your
head after you hear it (. . . the Quickway Diner &
Restaurant in Bloomingburg) Teek and Vee became local celebrities.
How did they go from Food to Cars?
Teek and Vee have a hobby that is quite removed from their businesses - they love cars.
Some think that they may have had a taste of car oil as babies and hence this obsession
with cars. As their businesses prospered, they could now afford to indulge in their hobby.
They began purchasing and restoring vintage cars
that lead them to the area car auctions where they got new ideas and visions. Being the
true entrepreneurs, they became Certified Car Dealers and opened Quickway Exotic Auto based on their vast knowledge
and passion for cars. Now a booming car dealership is included in their portfolio of
businesses. To ensure the integrity of the vehicles they sell, they have a crew of
mechanics and body shop technicians on the pay-roll to keep up with their demand.
What's
next?
Being the quintessential entrepreneurs that they are, Teek and Vee continue to venture
into new enterprises. But, they do not do so blindly. They have chosen to make a
commitment to the community they work and reside in, with Vee now raising a family with his wife Nadira. After much thought,
research, and planning, they have decided to construct the Quickway Travel Center, a
landmark that will serve all the needs of the traveler under one roof while providing jobs
and services for the area residents and community. A community that Teek and Vee are proud
to be a part of!
Stay tuned for more details.
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