Think Ink
This franchisee is making his mark with a printer cartridge shop.
A store selling ink cartridges and refills may not seem like a
favorite shopping destination, but as the world becomes more
dependent on technology, a printer cartridge shop is becoming the
place to be. Not only are customers attracted to the idea of
recycling ink cartridges to save the environment, but they also
like cutting costs.
For
Cartridge World franchisee Al Steigerwalt, the opportunity to
participate in this industry has been a golden one--and one he has
been excited about ever since purchasing his franchise in October
2003. "We're catching the beginning of the trend," he
explains. "I see people continuing to print for a long time,
and, as printing changes, how we help to refill cartridges will
also evolve."
But Steigerwalt, 53, does more than just meet a demand. This
former CFO has made his Columbus, Ohio location appealing by
creating a friendly atmosphere. Two 3-foot-high bobble-heads, one
of the Ohio State University (OSU) mascot, Brutus Buckeye, and the
other of football legend Woody Hayes, stand in the entrance, making
OSU fans feel right at home. And customers with sweet tooths can
find a jar of lollipops at the counter, a tradition Steigerwalt
adopted during his training at the original store in Adelaide,
Australia.
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In July 2004, Steigerwalt opened his second store and projects
2005 combined sales to reach between $400,000 and $500,000. These
days, both Steigerwalt and his customers leave the store happy.
"It's given me a lot of satisfaction," he says.
"And I'm having a blast doing it."