2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Honoree: The Supply Shop

When it comes to environmentally friendly business practices, Laura Thomas and Mary Pratt, co-owners of The Supply Shop, don't just talk the talk.

While their small business is green by nature - remanufacturing laser printer, copier and fax ink cartridges, diverting waste from the landfill and saving clients money along the way - they take it a step further in their day-to-day operations and their daily lives.

"We actually practice what we preach here," Thomas says, whether it's turning off computer monitors and printers when not in use, recycling everything possible at the office and at home, or stepping up to pledge support for the Partnership for Sustainability.

The bonus for clients is that, by purchasing The Supply Shop's remanufactured printing cartridges, they can reduce their cartridge expenditures by 20 percent to 60 percent versus buying new. The Supply Shop was started by businessman Terry Holcom in 1994, focusing primarily on postage equipment supplies. But in 2007, as Holcom approached retirement, he began to let the business wind down.

Thomas and Pratt had worked together at a now-closed Branson office equipment store. Pratt met Holcom when she was rebuilding cartridges for a Republic company, and she enlisted Thomas to join her in ownership.

"We found out he was going to retire, so we bought it from him," Thomas says.

After purchasing the company in November 2007, Thomas and Pratt reinvented it with an emphasis on cartridge remanufacturing while retaining the postage equipment side. Both women had several years of experience in remanufacturing, and The Supply Shop allowed them to put their skills to work for themselves. In 2008, The Supply Shop posted revenues of $107,526.

The company is able to keep its costs low because Pratt does most of the remanufacturing in-house. She breaks each cartridge down into its components and replaces the working parts.

"Some of them are made of aluminum - they're called drums - and we bust those drums down and recycle them and keep them out of the landfills," Thomas says. "There are wiper blades; there are all kinds of different parts and not every cartridge is the same. And after (Pratt) remanufactures and takes all the parts out (and) puts the toner back in, then she post-tests them in a printer to make sure there's no defects or anything like that."

The company's process - and its owners - get good reviews with clients.

"Both the ladies there are terrific to work with," says Joann Walker, office manager for client Ozark Flag. "They've been Johnny-on-the-spot whenever we've had a problem. They get our product here quickly and their prices are reasonable."

The Supply Shop even reaches to Branson with its clientele.

"They do an excellent job for us. They take care of us," says Angela Tate, front office manager for the Radisson Hotel in Branson. "Sometimes we run out of ink or something like that, and they rush it down here to us."

Tate also appreciates The Supply Shop's printer repair and maintenance service, which is one way The Supply Shop sets itself apart from competitors.

While Thomas and Pratt handle basic maintenance and cleaning issues themselves, a relationship with Redneck Computers in Springfield allows them to dispatch repair technicians as needed.

"That's a plus to the customer," Thomas says. "They have one place to call."