LYNN – The City surprised Greg Ozoonian Friday with a congratulatory citation to recognize his 40th year as owner of Ed & Vin’s Garage at 16 Chestnut St.
“I’m so excited to be here… to recognize this incredible business,” said Mayor Jared C. Nicholson. “It has been many years of investment in our community, sharing your skills and helping everybody keep going.”
Nicholson then presented Ozoonian with an official citation which read, “be it further known the entire City of Lynn extends its best wishes for continued success, great joy and happiness.”
“The City Council acknowledges your accomplishments, your dedication to the community and overall excellence serves as an inspiration for all to follow,” said Ward 4 Councilor Natasha Megie-Maddrey. “On behalf of our grateful and proud city, we bestow this official citation – and we really just want to wish you another 40 years.”
Ozoonian, who grew up on the corner of Chestnut Street and Rand Street and graduated from Lynn English High School in ‘73, was taken aback by the surprise celebration. He said he noticed the party supplies about 20 minutes before City leaders arrived, but that “They did a great job keeping this secret, all of them.”
“I’m kind of speechless because I didn’t expect it at all. It’s an honor to be honored. It was a surprise but you know, just unexpected,” Ozoonian said. “It hit me out of the blue. It’s nice to be recognized for staying in the community. We’ve always tried to be a good neighbor to our neighbors.”
An additional part of the celebration was a citation for Ozoonian’s sole employee and longtime friend Jack Perry, who Ozoonian referred to as a brother. Ward 6 Councilor Fred Hogan honored Perry for his 25 years at Ed & Vin’s, joking that “every Batman needs his Robin,” and Nicholson thanked Perry for “helping our city get around.”
Ozoonian emphatically thanked his customer base for their support over the last 40 years.
“We’ve got some really awesome customers, and the nice part now is: When I first started here, we had that group of customers, and now we’re servicing some of their kids’ cars,” he said.
He especially thanked his clientele for their tips. Since February 2023, every dollar given to Ed & Vin’s as a tip has gone directly to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
“We were getting tips after tips,” Ozoonian said. “They’d say ‘Keep the $5 and buy a cup of coffee.’ Well, neither Jack nor I are coffee drinkers, so at one point, I said to Jack, ‘You know, if it’s OK with you, I want to make use of the tips,’ and he was right on board with it.
“Since February 2023 to last month, we’ve donated $12,461 to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and it’s to a point now the guy this morning said to me ‘Keep the $5 for the tip. Put that to Tunnel to Towers.’ And he reaches into his pocket and says, ‘Put that with it.’ He gave me another $20.”
Ozoonian said he chose to fundraise for Tunnel to Towers because it gives 95 cents of every dollar to the fallen soldiers and first responders the organization works with.
“Tunnel to Towers holds a special place,” Ozoonian explained. “My brother was in the service. Shot in 1968, and lost his life during the Vietnam conflict… That gets me when I see how some of these guys come back from the battle ground.”
His brother Richard Kirshue’s name is engraved across from City Hall at the Vietnam memorial, and Ed & Vin’s contributions to Tunnel to Towers are in his honor.
Ozoonian said Ed & Vin’s does “all the usual service maintenance work, oil changes, tire rotations, breaks, pretty much everything” except transmission work and alignments. For information on Ed & Vin’s, call 781-595-6294.
Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson congratulates Jack Perry and presents Perry with a citation commending his 25 years of service at Ed & Vin's Garage in Lynn.
Ed & Vin's Garage owner Greg Ozoonian, second from right was honored for keeping the garage running for the last 40 years on Friday. On hand for the celebration was, from left, Kaitlyn, Jonathan, Matthew, and Maureen Ozoonian, and Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson.
Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson, center, honored Greg Ozoonian, left, for owning Ed & Vin's Garage for the last 40 years, and Jack Perry for working for Ozoonian for the past 25 years. Maureen Ozoonian and Lisa Perry were there to celebrate their husbands' achievements.
Jack Perry, second from left, was honored on Friday for working at Ed & Vin's Garage for the past 25 years. On hand for the celebration was, from left, Lynn City Councilor Fred Hogan, Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson, Lisa Perry, Donovan Perry, Zachary Emerson, and Lynn City Councilor Natasha Megie-Maddrey.
