By By Janet Little Cooper
Century natives Jeff and Jodi Peacock faced the tedious task of addressing several hundred wedding invitations more than five years ago just as many engaged couples do.
Neither one of the young couple felt that their handwriting was adequate enough to complete the daunting task and sought out the skills of a professional calligrapher. The job turned out to be quite a challenge with a hefty price tag attached.
"When we started looking for someone to address our envelopes and realized how hard it was and how expensive, we figured that other couples were probably experiencing the same thing, and that there were no economic alternatives or options." Jeff Peacock said. "So we figured out a way that we could reproduce the look of calligraphy using a computer font."
In 2001, the couple started an Internet business called Cambridge Calligraphy.com to cater to people in need of calligraphy services.
Peacock provided computer calligraphy services that later branched into printed and blank invitations.
After filling orders from all 50 states and even Canada, the young entrepreneurs have taken their stationary business from the world to the local public in a retail store.
The Paper Station located on North Main Street in Atmore is an extension of the Internet business in a retail setting.
"Most businesses start out in a store front and then branch into the internet market," Peacock said. "But we have done just the opposite. We saw a need in Atmore for the stationary business including scrap booking and invitations and decided to bring our Internet business to the retail market."
Atmore appealed to the couple as a good central location and under served area in the business of stationary.
The store open from 9 to 5 Monday thru Friday and 9 to 1 on Saturdays, offers custom printed stationary and blank stationary for births, graduations and weddings.
They cater to businesses by providing printing services for business cards, letterhead and presentation folders. From ink pens to cups, the Paper Station can custom print most any item for a business.
One highlight of the company's Internet business is the sell of Scrap booking items. Scrap booking kits and supplies will be offered in the retail location as well.
The Paper Station is also an authorized shipping outlet for UPS and will be offering shipping supplies in the near future.
Same day service is available on some print items while other custom design projects such as wedding or graduation invitations make take longer.
Peacock Photography, operated by Jodi, is also located in the retail space of The Paper Station. Jodi operates a small studio out of the business for some portraits, but primarily does location photography traveling to events and places.
"We have pretty much everything you need for a wedding, except the dress and the cake," Peacock said.