| Awards
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Engraving Connection was opened during October 1978. It started as a gift engraving business. Bracelets, lockets, key rings and other engravable jewelry made up the mix of merchandise. The store was a hit right off the start. The business grew with the owner, Rex Tubbs, working many hours with a few part-time employees. During Christmas, Rex logged on to CompuServe and found the test site called the Electronic Mall. Since business was too good, Rex couldn't get out to Christmas shop and did his Christmas shopping online. The experience was exciting and right after Christmas, Rex contacted CompuServe to find out more about the Electronic Mall and open up the Engraving Connection on the mall site. Rex set up his Commodore 64 to access and download orders. After CompuServe, Rex developed the business through direct mail to corporations needing corporate awards and gifts while keeping personal gifts for special occasions, like weddings, births and graduations. Rex started opening web sites going after niche engraving markets. Some of the web sites are: www.WeddingEngraver.com
Today Engraving Connection is a full service engraving operation with 1,200 Sq. Ft of production and showroom space. If it can be engraved, we can personalize it for you. |
Call us Toll Free! |
1-8778-AWARDS |
| 1-877-829-2737 |
| 1205 S. Main St. Plymouth, MI 48170 |
Phone 734-459-3180 FAX 734-455-6040 |
The first year Engraving Connection lost $20,000 on
the site but this didn't discourage Rex. Rex discovered people buying Rubber Stamps
and Executive Gifts. You see, at this time almost 95% of the CompuServe customers
were men high discretionary income. For the second year, Engraving Connection became
the Executive Stamper on CompuServe. For the next 9 years, Engraving Connection had
a good run. It was neat getting orders from around the world. One order came
from Blackpool England that orders a rubber stamp. We must have just downloaded his
order after he sent it. We produced the stamp and mailed it out small packet
air. Three days later we received an email of amazement that he had received his
order. He stated that he has an office supply just down the block from his home, and it
takes 2 weeks to get a stamp. On CompuServe he can order a stamp from another
continent and get it in three days. "It's a Bloody Miracle" he said. But
toward the end sales were soft and we could see the market was changing with the birth of
the web. CompuServe wanted the merchants to help pay for a new main frame so the
Electronic MallŪ could have graphics. Since the Engraving Connection is just a
small storefront business and not a big corporation, Rex decided it was a good run but it
was time to part company with CompuServe. CompuServe gave Rex a plaque acknowledging
Engraving Connection as one of the charter merchants on CompuServe.