Driving down Washington Street in Marion, AL, you will find the Print Shop, the friendly store-front owned and managed by Heather Thurber and daughter Melissa Bolding. What began as a venture for Heather’s father-in-law, who was an engineer from Michigan, has now grown into a successful business providing customers with a wide range of products and services. In 1986, the elder Thurber purchased the Print Shop from the Lewis family and quickly set to learning the mechanics of the press and digital printing. Five years later, Heather began working for her father-in-law, taking her place at the helm when she became owner in 2001. Her daughter Melissa, born and raised in the family business, graduated from Judson College with a degree in business and psychology. She returned to the family store a few years ago and has since been working alongside Heather to make sure their customers walk away with top-notch customer service and quality products.
Owning a business uniquely allowed Heather to take part in her children’s’ activities while also being available for them whenever they need her. Additionally, Heather’s children have learned the value of hard work by being involved in the family business and getting to see the inner workings of a successful company. Heather expressed that seeing this has been a major benefit of being an entrepreneur. Her children helped make the business a success by helping out whenever needed.
The Print Shop offers a comprehensive range of products and services, from copies and faxing to wedding and party invitations, notecards and notepads, flyers, banners, vinyl decals, labels, stickers, invoices, self-inking stamps, and personalized items such as embroidery. To ensure that their shop can accommodate all customer needs, the mother and daughter purchased the building next door. Heather jokingly remarks that Melissa will take over once she is ready to let mom retire, but until then, they both continue providing Marion and surrounding areas customers with quality prints, products, and services.
Striving to give back and to help their community, Heather and Melissa donate to schools in the area. Through fundraisers and donations, they have presented a percentage of their profits to help the schools. As part of their community engagement, this generous company is dedicated to helping with local causes as well as the education and advancement of the younger generation. They believe that it is important to invest in the community and this is a way they can do that. With their ongoing support, they are making a real difference in the lives of students.
One of the primary challenges the Print Shop has faced is how to market their services to a wide audience and share all the services that they provide through the Print Shop to bring in more customers in the surrounding areas. Heather and Melissa’s business stands out from the competition due to their superior customer service and competitive prices. These two factors make them the go-to choice for those looking for quality products at an affordable price. The focus on customer service ensures that customers have a positive experience; Heather and Melissa make sure that they are easily accessible and available to answer any questions and address any problems that customers may face. They are also committed to offering fair prices that won’t break the bank.
