Holland's is 90

CLOVIS — Few people, never mind businesses, can say they’ve made it to 90 years old. One Clovis company will celebrate reaching that milestone on Friday.

Holland’s Clovis Office Equipment Co., located at 601 N. Pile, will hold an open house to celebrate its 90th anniversary all day on Friday, including a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting.

“It’s challenging to be the president and owner of a company for sure, but it’s even more challenging when you know that this business is 90 years old and you have to continue,” owner Randy Holland said. “There’s not many people that are older than 90 years, so it’s a good thing.”

Holland said the business got its start in 1929 after Mack Stanton purchased the Clovis News and the Clovis Journal with the intention of combining the two into one newspaper.

“When he bought it he pulled out the commercial printing and the office supply and the furniture and put it at 313 Main and called it Clovis Print Plant,” Holland said.

According to a history of the business written by local historian Don McAlavy, a pair of name changes (Clovis Printing Company in 1935, Clovis Office Equipment Co. in 1962) preceded its purchase by Marvin Holland in 1971.

Since then the Holland family has owned the company, which moved to 601 Pile in 1973 and became Holland’s Clovis Office Equipment Co. in 1985. Randy Holland took control of the business following his father Marvin’s death in 2003.

“It’s a great feeling to know this business has gone through ups and downs throughout what the world’s circumstances are and what they are in the U.S. and continued,” Holland said. “And without the grace of God it wouldn’t be here, period.”

Holland said the company, which employs 16 people, has seen numerous changes with the advancement of technology over the years. He said the company owns a digital printer capable of making 105 prints per minute, just under two pages per second.

Holland said a recent 9,500-piece print job for a customer took 90 minutes, compared to the two days that would have been needed prior to the introduction of digital printing.

Holland said Friday’s 90th anniversary celebration will include refreshments, door prizes and giveaways, with a sale on certain products beginning the following week.

With 90 years in the books, Holland is still looking to the future.

“We hope to be here a lot longer, too. It’s not that we hit 90 years and it’s time to shut the doors; we’re moving forward,” Holland said.