Ambees Engraving owner Hatim Simba outside his Forest Park business in this file photo.

Business owner Hatim Simba, known in Forest Park for over a decade as the owner of Ambees Engraving, moved west in 2001.

Hatim, his wife Hamida and their children fled from Entebbe, Uganda, in eastern Africa in 1972. In 1986 the family started an engraving business in their basement which grew to the storefront known as Ambees Engraving at 7507 Madison St. Stores were struggling on that end of Madison at the time and he was offered a lease at a discounted rate.

With determination and always creating what the customer wanted, Ambees Engraving grew in name and reputation and outgrew the space in Forest Park, moving to the busy intersection of Mannheim and Cermak in Westchester where business continued to thrive.