 Givner's father was forced out of the family business—Givner's Luggage and Jewelry, a general store of sorts in Lorain that sold luggage, jewelry, and the engraving of it, as well as men's clothing.Due to his illness, Eugene Givner was restricted to a wheelchair and was told he would have to move his family to a less humid climate.The family chose to move to Encino, California, after finding a wheelchair-friendly home in that town.