Business I doer profile
Playing With Toyz
Jewish co-presidents drive expanding
Detroit-based business.
Alan Hitsky
Associate Editor
T
wo young Jewish guys are having
a lot of fun, helping to boost a
company founded by a Chaldean
entrepreneur.
Gregg Kuperstein, 38, of Beverly Hills is
president and CEO, and Richard Simtob, 37,
of Farmington Hills is president of finance
and development for Wireless Toyz.
What Joe Barbat started in 1995 as a
pager dealer in his father's video store in
Ypsilanti has become one of Michigan's
most successful privately held companies.
Wireless Toyz, with 62 employees at head-
quarters at 13 Mile and Northwestern in
Farmington Hills, now sells cell phones,
satellite TV and radio systems from 193
franchise stores in 23 states.
Simtob's goal for the company is 1,000
profitable locations by 2011.
What sets Wireless Toyz apart from the
competition? "Outstanding customer ser-
vice,' says Simtob. Plus, with distribution
agreements with five cell phone networks,
two satellite TV networks and Sirius satel-
lite radio, the company positions itself as a
one-stop shopping experience, where highly
trained personnel can help pick the service
that best fits the customer.
Simtob joined the firm in 2001. A Toronto
native, he attended the University of Western
Onatrio in London for three years, dropping
out after starting a college home-painting
business, a car painting business and, from
the Detroit area, Talking Book World, which
he expanded to 50 stores in seven states.
After selling Talking Book World, Simtob
became a franchise consultant and worked
with Barbat at Wireless Toyz. In 2004, he
became an owner and partner. Simtob has a
wife and two children.
Kuperstein was recruited to the business
two years ago from a career in franchising
with Mail Boxes Etc., a subsidiary of United
ALL OF
Gregg Kuperstein and Richard Simtob of Wireless Toyz
Parcel Service. A native of Manhattan,
Kuperstein, who is single, graduated with a
communications degree from Arizona State
University and worked in San Diego and
Toronto before coming here.
"It was an easy decision" to come to
Wireless Toyz, said Kuperstein. "I grew
up with what is now a leading franchiser
and this is a similar retail model." He saw
Wireless Toyz as part of a "burgeoning,
multi-billion dollar industry ... and that
really geeked me up. Knowing what I do,
and what I could do if I got the chance to do
it again told me that this could be a fun and
exciting ride."
Kuperstein handles business relationships
with carriers, manufacturers, developers,
providers and new product introduction.
Wireless Toyz is currently developing a new
look for its 12 Mile and Northwestern store
in Southfield, which will soon move into
new space several doors west in Franklin
Plaza.
The store, which was the eighth in the
Doer Profile on
page 34
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August 9 2007