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MAY 2002

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CFOPlus!

In most retail businesses, there are the big boys who are usually part of a national chain, and there’s the local store that has been in the community as long as people can remember. That can describe many types of businesses in Gainesville and the office supply store is no exception.

But in the case of Gainesville and Central Florida Office Plus that’s where the similarities end. Usually the big boys can talk about cheaper prices and a larger inventory but because Central Florida Office Plus buys its merchandise through a cooperative, that’s not the case here.

“We’re always trying to get that message across,” said W.T. Chesnut IV, who has taken the business over from his father, Bill. “We try to keep people aware of us and make sure they know that our prices are competitive.”

And that’s only the beginning of the benefits for shoppers at Central Florida Office Plus. First, there are two convenient locations – one downtown at the corner of NW Sixth Street and West University Avenue and the other at the Westgate Shopping Center at 34th Street and West University Avenue.

In addition, while the name says Office, there’s much more to Central Florida Office Plus. Both stores feature a full line of art and office supplies. “That’s a big part of what we do,” Chesnut said.

The Westgate store also includes a Hallmark card shop, and at the downtown store there is an in-house printing division and custom picture framing, as well as Office Furniture USA, a franchise furniture store that Central Florida Office Plus owns. They have a second furniture store in Ocala.

Chesnut also talks about customer service. While all retail businesses suggest that they have strong customer service, few, especially in a transient community like Gainesville, can honestly claim that the nice person who took care of a customer’s needs five years ago is still there.

“If you come in the store today, you will find the same people who were working here five, six and seven years ago,” he said. “The faces are the same. You don’t get the person of the day. Instead, you get the same people year after year.”

Of the 62 store employees, 51 live in Alachua County and most of them in the city of Gainesville. “We have folks who are here, contributing to the local economy,” Chesnut said. “We’re not just picking up a paycheck and running to the big metropolitan areas.” One of those longtime employees might even be Bill Chesnut who still comes in occasionally and is a consultant to the business. “He started the business in 1958, and he’s still an active participant,” said W.T. Chesnut. “I believe we’re Gainesville’s oldest family owned and operated office supply business.”

The first store was on Hawthorne Road. It moved to SW Second Avenue in the late 1960s and to the downtown location in 1981. It used to be known as Central Florida Office Supply. The name changed when the business began working with an independent group of office supply stores to increase inventory and keep prices down.

Another benefit at Central Florida Office Plus is inventory. Both stores are large and may have what a customer is looking for. But if they don’t there’s always the web page. Located at www.cfop.net, the web page offers featured sale items, an easy-to-follow catalogue and information about free delivery all over North Central Florida.

If all those are not enough reasons to give Central Florida Office Plus a try, how about a testimonial from one of the area’s biggest businesses. “We are the sole supplier of office products to Shands Hospital,” Chesnut said. “We went through a bid process against national and local competitors. They evaluated price and level of service. They decided they wanted us.”

For Chesnut, that’s what this business is all about – providing quality service locally at competitive prices.