Rocky Mountain Print Solutions is branching out and added another business into the fold, acquiring Murray's Office Plus in late January.
Stephen Wik, the Copier Division Manager for Rocky Mountain Print Solutions, said that Murray's Office Plus will be retaining it's own name into the transition to new ownership.
"There's a lot of people who identify with that name and we want to maintain not just the name, but the character of the business, the character of what Carol's created is going to be carried on," Wik said.
Carol Murray, who has been running the business for over 20 years, said she felt it was time to look at retirement and wanted to keep the business in local ownership. Her daughter worked with Wik for a few years at Rocky Mountain Print Solutions, and the discussions to sell began out of that relationship.
"We started chatting and it became evident that it was quite a good fit. I was looking to be able to retire because I find the furniture and the work is quite strenuous so it's time to pass it on to younger people," said Murray.
"Rocky Mountain Print Solutions—it works hand in hand. It will be your complete office. We can do your photo-copiers and copying, we can do your printing, we can do your stationary, we can do your furniture."
For Wik, the furniture side of Murray's Office Plus was a noticeable aspect of the business.
"There's a few things that we saw in Carol's business that really attracted us. First, a local presence for furniture—I don't see having a stale date because of the physical nature of furniture. Shipping is complicated, installing has a skill set to it and takes time," Wik said.
"The order-furniture-online experience I think, regardless of the progression of technology, is always going to have a vulnerability when people have to make it work. You're going to need that expert advice and the local set up."
In the future, Wik sees shared trips and staffing between the two businesses. Rocky Mountain Print Solution has regional coverage from Creston to Elkford to Invermere and the Canadian Border, while Murray's Office Plus has been more local with Cranbrook and Kimberley.
As for now, Wik and his staff are busy learning as much as they can from Murray to keep the business running as is in the present before planning and expanding for the future.
Murray will stay on for roughly the next year to show the ropes before fully retiring.