In 1987, Ralph DeLuke was a manager at ShopRite in Glenville and looking for a change.
So he got a crash course in the world of packing and shipping through a Las Vegas seminar, and upon returning to the Capital District he and his wife Kathy opened Mail ‘N’ More, providing Glenville with packing, shipping, office supplies, private mailboxes and —well, more.
After relocating to Route 50 in Burnt Hills in 2000, a move that doubled Mail ‘N’ More’s space, the owner is now celebrating a full 25 years in business.
“We started with one copy machine, UPS, Federal Express and a little bit of mail. And we had a section of office supplies, and it just kept growing from there,” said DeLuke. He added that changes within the shipping industry have kept him on his toes over the years.
“The computer age now allows you to do your own (shipping), basically. We still do a lot of packaging – a lot of vendors now send ARSs (Automatic Return System), which is a free shipping label to ship your merchandise back if you’re not happy with it,” said DeLuke.
Mail ‘N’ More ships an average of 40 packages every day using UPS, DHL, Federal Express and others, excluding the U.S. Postal Service. During the winter holiday season that number rises to about 350.
Along with shipping and office supplies, the store offers a wide and full variety of school supplies.
“We do a pretty good order with that because we’ve been here and we know exactly what the teachers are going to ask for,”DeLuke said. “People are finding that out more and more.”
One of those people is Suzanne Voigt. She is the manager for the Saratoga Farmers Market and has been a customer for 15 years. When asked in midst of a copying project why she keeps coming back, she replied, “Oh, definitely customer service.”
Voigt added she does a lot of business for the farmers market at Mail ‘N’ More and that they can “beat every price” in the area.
Beyond the retail end, DeLuke offers a full printing service. From the one copier back in 1987, the store’s array has grown to six.
“In house, we print anything … from a full glossy brochure to carbonless paper … and we have a service that does wedding invitations,” said DeLuke.
The store has also been selling a full line of sports paraphernalia for three years, and DeLuke said it’s been a hit with customers. He attributes its success to his son David, who had the idea to carry the goods.
Along with major league teams, the store also carries a full line of Spartan merchandise for the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District. Offering that connection to community, though, is nothing new for DeLuke.
Over the years he’s been president of the Burnt Hills Business and Professional Association and involved with community organizations including the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the Glenville and Burnt Hills Rotary clubs.
“It’s a tight knit group, they look after each other. … It’s a small, but very nice area,” said DeLuke of the Burnt Hills area.
A celebration week to thank customers is slated to take place from Oct. 15 through Oct. 20 at the store. Among the festivities will be local authors, a bounce house for kids as well as 25-cent and $2.50 specials. For more on Mail ‘N’ More visit shopmailnmore.com.
