FedEx and Kinko's meet
Kinko’s has long been known for making things larger or smaller; FedEx for delivering — so it’s not a surprise that FedEx Kinko’s has opened a store to enlarge its services from less space.
FedEx Kinko’s aims to provide more services and products in a smaller space with its redesigned stores, one of which opened May 7 on Atlanta Highway.
The store is the first such location in Montgomery and one of just two in Alabama. The other is in Huntsville.
FedEx Kinko’s new plan calls for stores of about 1,800 square feet, but the new Montgomery store is a little larger, at almost 2,000 square feet.
Pearlie Cross, who manages the new store, has worked for FedEx since 1996. She said the Kinko’s part of the chain, once centered on college campuses, has changed its focus.
“We cater to small businesses and mobile professionals,” she said.
The new format debuted nationally late last summer with expectations of opening 200 stores by the end of this month.
Cross said the store carries about 700 items, including paper, writing instruments and digital storage media.
The expanded retail presence complements traditional services offered by FedEx and Kinko’s, she said.
Kinko’s has grown to more than a self-service copy center for college students scrambling to finish a term paper at some wee hour of the morning.
“We do black-and-white and color and can do oversized prints up to 4-feet-wide,” Cross said.
FedEx Kinko’s offers document services including finishing and presentation, Web-based printing and document management.
Most FedEx shipping services short of cargo are available.
“Our shipping is more enhanced here,” Cross said. “We offer FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and packaging and shipping services.”
She said final pickup each day is at 6:15 p.m. for FedEx Express and 6 p.m. for FedEx Ground. Both services have final pickup at noon on Saturday.
FedEx Kinko’s went to the smaller store largely as a cost-saving measure. The company says construction costs are 50 percent lower than at a traditional center, allowing the firm to build more centers.
FedEx Kinko’s employs four at its Atlanta Highway location and more than 100 statewide.
