Couple finds business model worth copying

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S&L Services co-owners Luis Ortiz (from left) and Sandy Tapia pose with Erik Ortiz, one of their employees at the design and printing business they opened in Kennett Square.

When a Kennett High student got a part-time job at Rubenstein’s a decade ago, she had no inkling of the impact the family-owned, office supply company would exert on her life.

Sandy Tapia (left) and Luis Ortiz stands outside S&L Services, a printing and copying business they started in Kennett Square in August.
Sandy Tapia (left) and Luis Ortiz stands outside S&L Services, a printing and copying business they started in Kennett Square in August.

For starters, Sandy Tapia, now 26, met another employee, Luis Ortiz, who’s now 30, and they’ve been a couple ever since. Then in August, they added a business partnership to their relationship, opening S&L Services, a multi-faceted copying and printing shop in the 200 block of South Willow Street in Kennett Square.

“Instead of getting married, we decided to open a business,” Tapia joked.

Their quickly-crafted plan drew some impetus as well as inspiration from Rubenstein’s. The West Chester-based company closed its Kennett Square facility in June after more than three decades, but Tapia said the couple had not even considered trying to fill the void.

But she said the thought of creating a mini Rubenstein’s surfaced after she made a trip to a big-box retailer because she needed materials copied for a course she was taking. The experience wasn’t pleasant. “What should have taken a minute or two took 30,” she said, adding that the service was less than cordial.

She broached the subject to Ortiz and got the same response that would be repeated from sundry other friends and family: Are you crazy? But Ortiz said it didn’t take long for Tapia to persuade him the idea had merit. They quickly concluded that the business’s success depended on the expertise and involvement of Sandy’s sister, Nancy Tapia, who had worked at Rubenstein’s for nearly two decades.

Getting in touch with Nancy Tapia proved to be one of their biggest challenges. Sandy Tapia said she learned that her sister had snagged a great airfare and headed to Mexico on a moment’s notice with her children. It took some doing, but Sandy Tapia said she eventually got in touch with her sibling, who said: “Are you out of your mind?”

But once again, Sandy Tapia’s persuasive skills prevailed, and she convinced her sister that together they could all make the plan work.

S&L Services is located at 201 S. Willow St. in Kennett Square.
S&L Services is located at 201 S. Willow St. in Kennett Square.

From that point on, things fell almost magically into place, the company’s two founders said, still expressing amazement. They found a location they both liked and were able to purchase the equipment they needed from places that were going out of business. “It started to seem like this was meant to happen,” Sandy Tapia added.

After three months, the pair is guardedly pleased with the results, recognizing that startups take time to get established. “It’s a little scary, but business is picking up,” Tapia said. “The support from the community and other businesses has been terrific.”

The small shop, which specializes in copying, design, layout, and translation services, is chock full of merchandise, ranging from the standard office and party supplies to pictures frames. Some slightly more unconventional offerings include a wall full of snacks. Those were ordered to cater to neighborhood children.

Tapia explained that the school bus stops just outside the shop, and no other nearby store offers snack food. “The kids come in before and after school,” she said.

Another display features colorful ribbon organizers designed to hold accessories such as hair clips. Crafted by Pili Penaherrera Enderica, a teacher and Chadds Ford resident, they help fulfill the store’s sell-local philosophy.

Ortiz said all of the employees, who include his cousin Erik Ortiz, an Avon Grove junior, are bilingual. They have heard horror stories from some customers about the difficulty of trying to explain their printing needs at corporate chains. “Sometimes they had to pay for mistakes because the employees didn’t understand what they wanted,” Ortiz said.

Tapia said S&L Services is eager to provide personal service and is getting positive feedback so far. “I think customers like not opening the door and looking into a big box,” she said.

Ortiz agreed. “We’re optimistic,” he said. “I think we’re doing pretty well so far.”

In the meantime, they would love to help customers create personalized holiday cards.

S & L Services is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 610-444-2010 or visit http://slservices.squarespace.com.

 

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