The UPS Store’s Jean and George Martin have been doing a lot more than just packaging and shipping for the holidays. They fill a niche for small-volume business and specialty printing for artist prints, cards, tickets, calendars and posters.
The Martins opened their first UPS Store at 1412 Delaware Ave. in McComb in 2004 and a second at 958 Brookway Blvd. in Brookhaven in 2007.
They have seen an increase in their specialty printing and a lot of packing and shipping this time of year.
“This is our busiest time of year,” George said. “Jean has a good printing business here.”
Jean’s favorite aspect of the business is working with people and getting them the right look for their business cards or prints, George said.
“We work closely with the customer for layout and design,” she said. “And we are glad to do small quantities.”
Jean said one of her favorite aspects of work is doing print work for artists. She has been busy filling Christmas card orders designed by local artists and by individuals with photos.
“I do a lot of work with artists,” Jean said. “We have had the highest color copying for any UPS Store in the state for the past six years.”
They can also help with document services such as faxing, printing and copying.
“A big advantage of being a UPS Store is that packages that are packed and shipped by the UPS Store are part of the ‘Pack and Ship UPS Promise,’ which guarantees that if it gets lost or damaged, UPS refunds the customer the packing and shipping fees plus the declared value of the item,” George said.
The UPS Store is a year-round collection spot for the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots program.
“We’re a big supporter of the Toys for Tots program,” Jean said. “We really are thankful for the Marines whose generosity really kicks this program off. We enjoy being a part of Toys for Tots and so do our employees.
“We end up taking a lot of monetary donations for the programs, too. So what we do is take that and purchase toys for the Marines to distribute. We have a lot of fun going and buying for the children.”
The UPS Store and the U.S. Marines will be donating a sleigh-full of fun for the children living in Pike County’s only battered women’s shelter. Jean Spring, executive director of W.I.N.G.S., will accept toy donations on behalf of the women and children living at the shelter.
Dec. 16 is the last day to donate to Toys for Tots at the UPS Store.
The priority shipping deadline for guaranteeing that customer packages get to their destination by Christmas is Monday.
“We get extra pick-ups from UPS during the holiday season,” George said. “But after Dec. 12 the ground-shipping delivery day guarantees are off.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t get there by Christmas,” Jean said, adding that packages may only be delayed one or two days later than expected due to the high volume.
The UPS store is open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
For printing or shipping questions, call the Martins in McComb at 250-4960 or in Brookhaven at 823-4563.
