SVETE TRAVEL, the oldest Travel Agency in Lorain County, has moved.  Gregg Surovjak, grandson of the founder, Joseph Svete Sr. will be doing business as usual from his home in Vermilion.  The long time headquarter building of the Svete business has been purchased and replaced by a Walgreen's Drug Store.

Svete Travel was founded by Joseph Svete Sr. as Joseph Svete Steamship Agency and Foreign Exchange in 1905 at the north end of Grove Avenue in Lorain.  In 1911, Svete had a 4000 square foot building built at 1780-82 E. 28th Street in Lorain and moved his travel business and Foreign Exchange operation to the north half of the new site.  The south half of the first floor was occupied by the Svete Cafe until it was closed due to prohibition.  Mr. Svete's daughter, Alice and her husband assumed operation of the business in 1956 although Mr. Svete and his wife Johanna continued to work in the business daily until their deaths.

By 1963, Alice's husband, Emil Surovjak has passed away and grandson, Gregg Surovjak joined in the family business.  The firm grew and opened a second office 444 Broadway in Lorain.  It proved to be a very successful move.  In order to have a more central location Alice and Gregg bought the northwest corner of Broadway and West 28th Street in 1980 and moved both offices into a single location.  The business continued significant growth both in commercial and leisure travel, especially cruises.  Cruise Watch was created as a marketing tool in 1984 and continues to be a leader in cruise vacations.

On November 18th, 2005, Gregg Surovjak moved the business to his home office.  Gregg explains: "Our business had become 95 to 98% telephone and internet driven and it seemed non-sensible to continue to do business from the typical "brick and mortar" premises. We will continue to have the same presence in the community as we have for over 100 years, clients just won't have to travel to our office to book their vacation.  Although if they feel more comfortable discussing their vacation with someone in person, I will be happy to come to their homes."