Published: January 12, 2009 12:04 am      

LOCKPORT: Cricket location will soon to be available on Pine Street.

LOCKPORT — Agwa Ahmed was talking to a customer Friday at his new Cricket Communications location on Pine Street. The customer said Ahmed was going to do well because of the location and the fact that Lockport Cricket customers wouldn’t have to leave town for help or cell phone insurance claims.

The customer left and shook Ahmed’s hand. Ahmed thanked him.

“I didn’t pay him to be here, these aren’t actors,” Ahmed joked, pointing to the group of customers in his store.

Ahmed opened his Pine Street location two weeks ago. Off to a good start, the Pine Street location is Ahmed’s third wireless store in the area. Ahmed also owns Universal Wireless in Niagara Falls and another in Buffalo. He also owns Everything, Anything & More, a shop that opened on Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls. Everything, Anything & More offers, well, everything and more, such as cell phones, toys, electronics and jewelry.

Cricket Communications provides for customers with Sprint, Nextel, T-Mobile, Boost and all pre-paid phones. Accessories for cell phones are also available. Ahmed said customers can also pay bills and receive help for cell phone insurance claims. What else customers get is a certain level of service they probably won’t find at other wireless stores, Ahmed said.

“We take pride in everything we do,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed started working in satellite dish installation after graduating from the University at Buffalo with a degree in mechanical engineering. For about a year, he built up a clientele installing dishes for DirecTV and Dish Network, before deciding to go into business for himself. Ahmed started a wireless business in a room in his house before moving to a storefront. Soon business grew.

“More and more,” Ahmed said. “That little office couldn’t hold it.”

So Ahmed opened Universal Wireless in Niagara Falls on Pine Avenue in the old Scipione Catering building. Business continued to grow, leading to some long days for Ahmed, his brothers and three other employees.

“We slept there; we were working 120 hours a week,” Ahmed said.

What’s the secret? Ahmed thinks he knows.

“It’s about building a relationship with the customer,” he said. “We’ll help them. We have customers who trust us and come in asking what kind of phone they should get.”

Salem Agwa, Ahmed’s brother, said he was the lone worker in the Pine Street store, but Ahmed said he’d be hiring soon as business continues to improve. Store hours are Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.