Robinett Business Systems to relocate

Minolta Man is preparing a new lair.
Mark Robinett plans to move Robinett Business Systems, the company he founded in 1986, to 2406 S. Campbell Ave.
“We’ve signed a contract and put down earnest money,” Robinett said, declining to disclose terms.
Jill Carr, an agent with Mellinger Commercial LLC, is brokering the transaction, which is expected to close June 15.
Built in 1987, the former Aldi’s grocery store building was purchased by Dennis Scott in a December deal brokered by Dave Murray of R.B. Murray Co.
Murray said that Aldi’s relocated when the company built a new store at 421 E. Battlefield in the spring of 2003. Scott, owner of Dennis’ Place, 921 W. Sunshine, said that he had considered opening a bar there but decided to sell the property instead.
Robinett said that he had been looking for property for about six months, and he plans to move his business once infill is complete, probably in August or September.
“We always knew we were paying enough rent to buy a building, but we finally got around to doing it this time,” he said.
Robinett Business Systems sells and services office machines. Office Manager Tracy Cutbirth said its inventory includes Muratec copiers and fax machines, Neopost mailing equipment and Minolta copiers and fax machines. Robinett often refers to himself as “Minolta Man” in his radio commercials.
Robinett’s current location is 3322 S. Campbell, Ste. G, in Sheid’s Plaza, which he leases for an undisclosed amount. The new location, with 11,000 square feet, isn’t much bigger than the current digs he and his 29 employees share.
“What’s funny about it is it looks like we have one little office in the corner, but we actually have 10,000 square feet there. Since it’s all in a corner and goes out sideways, it’s real deceptive how big we are,” Robinett said.
Robinett said it’s too early in the process to name an architect or general contractor for the remodel.
“I’ve got a bunch of names to call and see how pretty they talk to me,” he said. He has a feeling it may take $50,000 to $100,000 to get the building ready.
“The only thing we need to be pretty right from the start is a nice demonstration room and a conference room,” Robinett said. “Quite frankly, if it took me five years to finish the rest of it out, it wouldn’t bother me.”
There are other changes in the air at Robinett, but there’s no rush for them either.
“Right now we’ve got five salespeople on the mailing side and four on the copier side. We’re probably going to add two more on each side next year,” he said. “Of course, how much stuff we sell determines how many technicians we need and how many administrative people we need. One of my favorite quotes to my people is, ‘I don’t know about the chicken and the egg, but I do know one thing; until we sell something nobody else has anything to do.’”