WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
To a symphony of humming vacuums, strawberry, leather, and jasmine air freshener scents floated among the soap bubbles at American Car Center, an iconic car wash perched along the main artery of West Bradenton and luring in A-list residents like former Florida State Senator Bill Galvano, Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown and Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells since the mid-90s.
Many loyal customers would follow the late afternoon glow to the famed turquoise roof after a long day at work, seeking more than just a pristine wash and wax. They rolled in for camaraderie and small-town chatter. They pulled up to analyze Manatee High School Football and glean little league baseball updates. They steered into the long stretch of pavement to laugh and form friendships.
They came for Zack Kallis.
A jovial man with jet-black hair, a New Jersey accent, and a smile that could dim Broadway, Kallis – who recently sold the car wash – garners an identical reaction from everyone who knows him. Without pause or edit, friends of Kallis declare the same statement every time: He’s a really great guy.
“My motto is to never frown,” said Kallis as his face lit up with his signature grin. “I smile all day long. I never yell – it’s just not in my nature. If one of my customers comes in upset, I smile, and they might just smile back. I strive to always bring a brighter day to people.”
Through his contagious kindness and genuine passion for others, this father of three, former professional chef, and avid fisherman has brightened the days of others for decades. From serving as the president of the Manatee 100 Club to recently joining the Early Learning Coalition’s board to doling out sponsorships to sports teams zigzagging across the county, Kallis reflects love for his community through volunteerism and philanthropy.
“I consider donating to charities a moral duty and a way to help our town thrive,” said Kallis, who you may find exploring the loop at Robinson Preserve or whipping up spinach pies and lamb shanks at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church’s annual festival. “If anyone needs help, I will help them. This is my home, and I want to invest in it and show everyone I am here to stay.”
While carving out his home in Manatee County and working tirelessly to help his neighbors, community leaders have admired Kallis from afar.
“Zack is one of the finest men I have ever met,” said Sheriff Rick Wells. “He has a true desire to help people and to make our community a better place. Zack has a contagious personality that makes you feel good every time you’re around him. He always puts the needs of others before his own, and I am truly blessed to be able to call him my friend.”
Toting a bamboo pole, Kallis – a native of Hell’s Kitchen, New York – fished the docks of Long Island during the summers as a child, catching snapper, bluefin, and the coveted striped sea bass. Treasured memories of cooking up daily catches in the kitchen alongside his family warmed his heart and inspired the young foodie to tackle restaurant ownership after high school. Specializing in seafood, Kallis churned out tasty dishes seven days a week until the winter of 1994 hurled three snowstorms and left behind 18 inches of snow.
“After that, I said, ‘It’s time to get out of here,’” said Kallis with a chuckle.
Selling his business, Kallis and his wife followed the sunrays leading to Bradenton and sought out another restaurant to own before ultimately deciding on a 14th Street car wash instead. A couple years later, they eventually bought their Manatee Avenue location.
“My customers aren’t just my customers,” said Kallis, who can’t help but jump in to help his landscapers trim and prune on any given day. “They are also my friends. Most of my customers have my cell number.”
Long-time customer and friend Captain Alan Engle has Kallis on speed dial. The fishing buddies navigate local waterways, pulling up everything from grouper and hog snapper to redfish and snook. During winter, Kallis will often slip into Engle’s kitchen to help cook hundreds of pounds of stone crab claws during the season.
“What impresses me most about Zack is that every day I never see him in a bad mood,” said Engle. “I never see him without a smile on his face. He has a great way about himself, and all of his friends feel this way. There are very few people who can succeed in so many things – as a father, husband, businessman, friend – like he does.”
Aside from contributing to his community with donations, Kallis shines as a mentor to many young adults peppered throughout the county.
“Zack is a role model for me,” said Engle, who shared Kallis never charged law enforcement or first responders for a car wash. “I watch how he deals with life in general, and he is so well-rounded. He’s done so many different things. I joke with him that he is too young to have done all these things.”
Former Florida State Senator Bill Galvano echoes Engle’s sentiment.
“I have never met a more positive force than my friend Zack Kallis,” Galvano said. “He has a genuine love for people and has done so much for so many. Beyond being a very successful businessman, he is a true community leader. Zack has been and is such a wonderful influence in my life. Zack and I have been close for decades, and I can say that no matter what he has faced in life, he has faced it with a smile.” With charities, a moral duty and a way to help our town thrive.
Juggling a business and raising a family, Kallis has given voice to many boards striving to improve his community. He passionately served as president of the Manatee 100 Club, an organization that supports the families of fallen law enforcement officers and first responders.
“These are the heroes in our community risking their lives,” said Kallis. “It is so important to support them and their families.”
After working long hours seven days a week since he turned 17, Kallis sailed into a new era at the end of 2020: Retirement. He swapped 6 a.m. wake up calls for mid-morning bike rides and evenings trying out recipes in his new outdoor kitchen. As a proud father of three high-achieving kids, Kallis is anxious to indulge more in their lives.
“My son is an orthodontist in New Jersey, and my daughter is a dermatologist,” said Kallis with eyes proudly shining. “My youngest son is a senior in high school and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. They are all very accomplished Greek dancers. They competed and everything.”
While retirement has carved out a space to embrace family time, it is unlikely Kallis will sit idle for very long before he revs into another career.
“I’m going crazy already,” said Kallis, shaking his head. “I may go back into the restaurant business or maybe do something in real estate. I do know I can’t sit.”
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown had another suggestion. He teased Kallis about handing out parking tickets.
“I said I don’t think I would give out a lot,” said Kallis, throwing back his head in a laugh. “I have a heart. I’m too nice for that.”
Kallis does share without even a dash of doubt in his voice that he is not going anywhere.
“I love my community and the people here,” said Kallis. “Whatever I do, I will do it here.”
That’s a relief for all who love and cherish Kallis.
“If for some reason I was to get in trouble or need help, and I had just one phone call to make, it would be Zack,” said Engle with a chuckle but a hint of dead seriousness. “Zack’s the call I would make. That’s just the kind of person he is.”
