When we had Mr. Elias Akwo (owner, Crystal house) on the show one of the consistent themes in his message was "community." The willingness of others to help; going above and beyond for one's neighbor. As a city, Aurora has been very diverse which adds to its charm & character. And as a member of the business community, Mr. Akwo is well-versed building and cultivating successful relationships. It is the combination of sharing, teamwork and a willingness to go above and beyond that is the cornerstone relationship building.
During the time of unrest in Aurora Mr. Akwo's store was vandalized, the result was extensive damage. Despite their best efforts, Mr. Akwo and his wife Chaz were unable to save or restore many valuable items. Like so many others in the Downtown Aurora business community, covid19 and the phases of re-opening were a new adjustment. A resumption of business & work were the daily driving passions; in our interview he smiled when he speaks of his customers. Putting smiles on the faces of his clients and creating award-winning sports memorabilia have been his passions. It's amazing the stories that the city of Aurora has to tell.
Within 10 minutes of the store being damaged, and before Mr. Akwo arrived to inspect the damage, his neighbors went to work. They protected the store from any other would-be vandals and began sweeping up the broken glass. The atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety vanished and was replaced by determination. By the time Mr. Akwo & his wife arrived the large shards of glass had been removed and there was minimal sweeping up left. The neighbors had acquired drywall, plywood and a ladder and went to work boarding the windows. Within two hours the store was secure and a collective prayer was said. The power of community had saved Crystal House.
Now Crystal House has returned stronger than ever and has proven themselves resilient. They've created and have been adding to the 'Aurora Collection'; fine crystal & custom engraved products of Aurora symbolism. Military & service products have expanded, Amazon availability, chandelier repair & walk-in hours, all this happening on historic Auto-Row (LaSalle street) in Aurora! Their new initiative is #supportcrystalhouse, the goal is to be able to hire another full-time employee. The ideal candidate would be an Auroran; Crystal House would like to offer opportunity back to a city and people who've always been there for them. When Mr. Akwo comes back on the show we'll ask him about their 1st Friday plans and if there will be more great singing!
We appreciate Mr. Akwo sharing his story with us. We're happy to share his story and the stories of our other businesses. We're proud to be the 2nd largest city's 1st daily news podcast. A place where the voice of the people is heard. That's the power of community.