Husband and wife team Tony Secolo and Kelly Coller operate Office, a hip store in Portland, OR that sells an eclectic mix of office products and art supplies. The couple has branched out, sponsoring an art gallery and an event space. Now, they’re moving beyond their local area, into cyberspace with officepdx.com
Over the next few months, they’re looking to take things one-step further by launching several online marketing initiatives.
The firm sells such products as design books, paper goods, portfolio and presentation tools, travel books and other products for design professionals, says Coller, who serves as director of marketing.
The company carries artwork by local artists and designers, such as Amy Ruppel and the Wurst Gallery. In addition, they host regular design education events that are part of how Office currently markets itself in the Portland area.
So far, Office PDX has been able to amass about 2,000 customers, generally men and women between the ages of 25 and 55 working in the graphic design field. It maintains contact with them by sending newsletters three times a month with updates on new products and events, she says.
Some of their larger customers include Apple Computer, Nike, Adidas and Starbucks, Coller says.
Over the next few months, Office, which now takes in less than $1 million in annual sales, plans to get into areas like search engine marketing, keyword placement and the like. Coller declined to project any revenue goals.
She had previously worked in marketing and architectural design in Seattle with Secolo, who formerly worked for Getty Images and serves as the company’s chief creative director.
The couple, which moved down from Seattle last year, financed the business themselves with a little help from their families, Coller says.
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