Who we are
Garabet Hagop Yacoubian, started out as goldsmith in the old city of Nicosia (Ledras street), after a long journey of leaving behind is home and most of his belongings.
As being a goldsmith was an "expensive" trade and wasn't able to make a living, he started collecting metals, along with keys. He then found a need for people who needed keys to be cut, hence began with duplicating keys.
He would make molds for keys and file them by hand, make them as identical he could to the original, give the key to the customer and always say "If it doesn't work, please come back, will make it work." There was more demand and it this is how he managed to feed a family of 12.
As years went by, his brother Abraham and son Hagop Yacoubian, helped out, and with his customers list grew and more business opportunities opened up.
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In 1963, when the tension began between communities in Cyprus, they moved to the shop where we are stilled based today. Hagop had then started working for the British bases and it was his young boys who helped out there grandfather to run the business.
Garabet and Abraham where two boys that had to assit in running the shop at a very young age, but with years of learning they where getting ready for the future to come.
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In 1972, Garabet Hagop Yacoubian passed away and the boys became men and started working the shop by making changes.
Started going out of the shop helping people who got locked out of their house or car, with tools they had made themselves. They introduced, Stamps and Signs to existing existing customer who where making keys. Engraved signs, making stamps with polymer liquid and of course all types of keys.
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In 1980,started importing key blanks and key cutting machines, from Germany and The United Kingdom. In this process they found Silca S.p.A, who till today are exclusive distributors for Cyprus and Silca S.p.A, is the leading key partner for locksmiths worldwide.
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In 1990, they started working with COLOP and became there exclusive distributor in Cyprus. The uprising of hotel's, created a need for signs and Garabet stepped in to offer an anodized aluminium sign, which was what was best at the time as a long lasting option, which you can still see today. Meanwhile Abraham was training people to become locksmiths. Teaching the tricks and tips of the trade. While years passed by and technology advanced, they both followed it and tried to keep up with it, computerized key cutting machines, laser engravers, digital printers, what is considered a standard today, back then they were new innovations, which they kept investing and to keep the business running today.
