Sam Gromowsky, the founder of Waldo’s Almar Printing, offers a very simple explanation for what’s helped his family business succeed: “Hunger.”

Sam and his wife, Mary, had a 2-year-old and another child on the way when they launched Almar Printing in 1966, in a small room above a bar. To drum up business, Sam went door to door calling on businesses. That’s how he connected with Continental Disc Corporation, his very first customer, which has stuck with him ever since.

“Not many people can say they’ve kept the same customer for 50 years,” he said.

‘It’s Not All Going to Be Gravy’

Gromowsky’s son Steve is now his partner in the business. Though he’s in his late 70s, Sam comes into Almar’s shop just about every day.

“I like all of it,” he said. “I’m a people person. My wife says I love to talk.”

His advice for staying in business more than 50 years?

“What I would tell anyone, first of all, is you better marry somebody who has a starvation attitude,” Gromowsky said, “because when you start a business, it’s not going to be all gravy.”

When they were just starting out, he said, Mary had more recipes for hamburger than anybody they knew.

“You better fall in love with somebody who’s willing to go along with the hard part,” said Gromowsky.