Family-Owned Art Supply Store Shuts Doors

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Service Reproduction Co., a family-owned art supply store that served the Grand Rapids art community for 78 years, announced its closure this week. The store, located on the city's west side, will cease operations after Saturday.

Founded in the 1940s, Service Reproduction Co. began as a blueprint printing business before expanding into selling art supplies over the decades. The colorful aisles of paints, pencils, and various art mediums that once filled the friendly store will now be empty.

"This has been our life," said general manager Caroll Warners, who has worked at the store for the past 38 years. "My whole adult life, I've been here."

Warners, whose father owns Service Reproduction Co., explained that post-pandemic costs have climbed significantly while sales have fallen. The store has struggled to compete with changing economic conditions and shifting consumer habits.

Construction Takes Toll

The nearby construction of Amway Stadium has also impacted business. Warners noted a decrease in customers coming in as the massive construction project took hold.

"We really saw a decrease in customers coming in," Warners said. "We just can't afford to stay in business anymore."

The store made every effort to move to a different location, but Warners says they weren't able to afford to do so in what she describes as an "inflated" real estate market.

"There's been a lot of tears between customers and the staff here," she said. "It was not an easy decision by any means."

Economic Growth vs. Short-Term Pain

While the store's closure marks a significant loss for local artists and crafters, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce views large-scale developments like Amway Stadium as necessary for long-term economic growth.

Alex Benda, the chamber's economic growth business consultant, explained that developments are designed to bring lasting economic benefits to the city, including opportunities for small businesses.

"We all wish we didn't have to have construction, but it is a necessity," Benda said. "This is a problem that businesses have to suffer from all the time, but your sidewalk is going to have to be repaired at some point."

Benda noted that the chamber can connect affected business owners to resources, including a new program called West Michigan Community Cash, which offers gift cards that can only be spent at designated local businesses.

"It takes a villager to make a village, and with construction, those businesses that are on the street are absolutely in need," Benda said.

Heartfelt Goodbyes

After announcing the store's closure, Warners reported that the response from customers was overwhelming.

"Everybody's just heartbroken we won't be here anymore," she said.

The last day of business for Service Reproduction Co. is this Saturday. Warners expressed gratitude to the artists, crafters, schools, and professionals who helped keep her family's business open for more than three-quarters of a century.

"We were here to give people what they needed," Warners said.

The closure of Service Reproduction Co. marks the end of an era for Grand Rapids' art community, closing a chapter that began in the 1940s and spanned generations.