John W. Rehonic III, a CPA and the owner of Leonard’s Tax Service, wouldn’t let a fire deter him from working through tax season.
Leonard’s Tax Service, located at 1010 Summit Ave. in Union City, fell victim to the string of four-alarm fires that hit the town on Dec. 2. The Summit Avenue fire started at 1016 Summit Ave. and spread to four two-story apartment buildings and first level businesses, ending at 1010 Summit Ave.
However, just a few days later, Rehonic leased office space at 1113 Summit Ave. and, two months later, he began to rebuild his office at 1010 Summit Ave.
Rehonic expects his new building to be completed by July.
Another long-time Union City business, Canonico Real Estate, was also displaced in the Dec. 2 fires. Canonico shared office space with Leonard’s, and is leasing space at 1113 Summit Ave. as well.
Not leaving Union City
Realizing that tax season began just one month after the fires started, Rehonic wasted no time looking for a space to do business.
“While the fire was going on, I was looking up and down Summit Avenue for a place to run my business,” he said.
Rehonic, who lives in Bergen County, also knew he wanted to stay in Union City.
“I have a lot of clients in Hudson County,” said Rehonic. “I would lose a good percentage of my clients if I moved my business. I am not leaving Union City.”
“He is rebuilding so quickly,” said Union City Mayor Brian Stack. “That says a lot about Union City. I am happy to see that he is reinvesting in Union City.”
However, Rehonic did decide to rebuild his office without any residential stories. Before the fire, the building also housed two residential floors above the office space.
“This will just be easier,” said Rehonic.
A long history
Although not always a tax service, Leonard’s has been in Union City for more than 40 years. Leonard Heir, the original owner of Leonard’s, opened his Army and Navy store at 1113 Summit Ave. Heir, who was also a certified accountant, also did taxes in his store during tax season.
In 1980, John Rehonic II, Rehonic’s father, joined Heir as an accountant and quickly became a partner in the business, changing from an Army and Navy store to a tax service.
Rehonic, the current owner, joined his father in 1986 as a CPA. In 1999, Rehonic moved the business to 1010 Summit Ave.