On an east side Buffalo street where boarded up businesses are all too common is a family business success story. The Lincoln Child Care Center is going strong after 40 years of filling a community need. Some of the current young clients are second generation customers.
"Some of the pictures that we have on display... their children are here now," explains Lois Alexander, owner and director of Lincoln Child Care since day one 40 years ago.
Alexander was there at the day care's humble beginnings in the back room of a church, and she's seen it through to its success today in a multi-room transformed old post office on Genesee Street where the facility has been located since 1992. "We heard that this post office was for sale and at that time the New York grants were out so I got busy and got a grant together. We got a grant and that's how we got here," explains Alexander.
While other area businesses come and go Lincoln thrives by providing a service that's not always easy to find in the neighborhood -- quality day care.
"Working at this day care is like a family environment. So many people from the community know about the day care and we're happy that we're here and we're happy we've had a positive influence on this community," says Denise Taylor, the assistant director at Lincoln Child Care.
Staff members at Lincoln say they are treated like family and in the case of the director and assistant director, they really are family. Assistant Director Denise is Director Lois' daughter.
"I'm planning to take over the business when she retires, but she still hasn't retired," laughs Denise Taylor.
"I didn't think it would last this long. I'm tired, but as my daughter says she's here to run the center and I'm going to let her pretty soon," answers Lois Alexander.
The day care center should stay in the family for decades to come. Lois says she already has a granddaughter lined up to take over the center after her daughter retires.
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