Name:
Eitan
In what part of town do you live?
In Kendall, in the Crossings.
How long have you lived in the area?
Almost five years.
Where were you before Miami?
I lived in Israel. I’m Israeli.
What brought you to the United States?
My wife.
Where did you meet?
On Jdate. I came to visit her and then from there we were together.
Would you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I love my kids. I love to work out in the gym. I love nature, cars, and the farmer’s market every Sunday. I am locksmith. It’s an emergency job most of the time. I do it well, and am very professional.
How long have you been a locksmith?
Two and a half years.
How did you learn how to do it?
Experience. I read a lot and you know, YouTube. They’re different locks and different ways to drill them. Every lock is different. I remember the first day I was working, I was so scared, because I didn’t have experience. You do it once, then twice and then you get it.
What is the best lock that people can buy?
The best locks on the market are Medeco and Mul-T lock. Like you see in the movies, you see picking and bumping. Picking is taking two tools and opening the door. On Medeco you can’t do this. You have to drill the lock and you have to know exactly where .
Any funny stories that stand out from locksmithing?
I remember the first time I opened a Medeco lock. I went to pick up something from the floor and my pants ripped open. You learn from mistakes.
What did you do in the Israeli military? What did you learn from this experience?
I was a truck drive. I learned a lot. You become independent. You’re alone and you need to take care of yourself. You’re not in your parent’s house anymore. You see new things and you become very mature.
What do you miss most about Israel?
Of course, the family. And, the food! Israeli has the best food in the world.
What has surprised you about living in the US?
I love everything. It’s a big country. You have more choices and life is quiet. You don’t live in fear all the time. In Israel, you go into the street and are afraid someone could come up to your back and stab you. You have more security here. Here, it’s easy. In Israel, everything is hard.
You’ve come to our drive through market almost every weekend. Would you share about that experience?
When I come to your market, I feel good. You and your wife are always smiling. It’s nice to go where someone is smiling all the time. And, we love the Rainbow smoothies.
What do you miss most about the farmer’s market at the Garden?
I miss seeing all the people, the energy, and the food. It’s fun to go and it’s relaxing.
Markets in Israel are part of the culture. What do you think makes them special?
I think it’s their energy. Israelis are warm people and they love to talk a lot. And of course the food!
What local restaurants are you looking forward to going back to?
In Miami Beach there’s an Israeli place called Pita Hut that I really like.
What’s Miami’s best kept secret?
In North Miami, there a place called Etzel Itzik. It’s a hole in the wall and it’s always packed with Israeli people.
What’s a worthy splurge?
I love a good massage. All my life, I’ve loved massages and my wife is a massage therapist.
What’s a good rainy-day activity?
Stay home and watch a scary movie.
Where’s the most romantic spot in Miami?
Krome Avenue. It’s relaxing to drive and see all the fields. I don’t know if that’s romantic, but it’s relaxing. Romantic would be the light house on the beach at Crandon Park at six in the morning.
Would you like to share a pitch about your business?
We have a small family business that my wife and I run, called ER Locksmiths.
Is there a question that you would like to ask us?
(EC) Are you only at the drive through right now, is there another spot where you sell your products?
(A+W) Right now, we are only at the drive through. But we are there two days so you can come Saturday or Sunday.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We just love your smoothies. We love how you guys layer them and mix the colors. And, the heart cookies were really good too. I taste the turmeric in them and they’re very tasty!