By Stephen Smoot
Sometimes a business starts off with an idea of how to do something better and mainly needs a bit of assistance to point the endeavor in the proper direction
Jamie Grove operates a history-based business occupying an interesting niche. From his home base in Virginia, Grove runs a company that, as he describes, “sells science and history artifacts.” The company has also printed a book and sends its materials worldwide, “thousands of items to different countries,” he noted.
Grove shared that for small businesses whose operations include boxing and shipping out to customers, “assembly is a key service.” Putting together a package and then shipping it takes time, which translates to more money spent or production dropping to accommodate the need to send.
He shared that “I was a client . . . for about 10 years” of a warehouse and custom packaging company that operated in the Pendleton Industrial Park in Upper Tract. Over time, Grove shared, “I started shipping more stuff and we grew over time.” He shared that “I want to do more of that.”
At a certain point, the original operator of the warehouse business planned to shut down after approximately a quarter century in business. Grove shared that he had done the packaging on his own at a point, but preferred to look for operations “able to do what I want.”
He explained on his company website that in 2015, he needed the right business partner to help him to package his company’s “mini museum” product. “The work was complicated,” described Grove, who added that “the product required attention to detail, including assembly and quality assurance. The items were sequentially numbered, and getting each individual item to the right person was absolutely critical. Further, there would be thousands of orders simultaneously, and everything would need to ship as quickly as possible.”
“In short, the project was a nightmare for any fulfillment company,” he explained, adding that he contacted several, but none had interest in his business needs. Almost as soon as they had figured on doing the work in house, “then, our printing partner suggested we take a drive into the heart of West Virginia and visit a little warehouse they had in a village named Upper Tract.”
Grove praised the work ethic and assistance of the warehouse staff, saying, “I found people who deeply cared about the customers they served and took a personal interest in the products that passed through their facility. They took immense pride in handling the merchandise and ensuring it was carefully packed. They were also intensely competitive and focused on overdelivering on expectations.” Then, the company that owned the warehouse indicated they would soon close down their Pendleton County operations.
One day he “contacted Sherry Mongold and asked if they would be interested in supporting an entrepreneurial experiment.”
Mongold serves as administrator of Seneca Rocks Regional Development Authority, an organization that combines the efforts of the Pendleton and Grant County Development Authorities. Each county development authority remains in place and is operational because they are the lawful recipient of certain grants. Both, however, ceded operational control of expanding economic development to SRRDA.
Grove proposed that he assume control of operations from the original operator and continue providing warehouse, packaging, and shipping services from that location. He would even keep as many of the same staff as possible to ensure continuity of operations. Some clients of the former owner elected to stay with Grove as he established Innovative Distribution.
“Following (the original owner’s) decision to downsize,” explained Mongold, “we collaborated closely with Jamie to help him secure this building.” She added that SRRDA also worked to help adapt the building space to Grove’s needs “including addressing long-overdue maintenance for the facility.”
Two years later, Initiative Distribution continues to operate a prosperous business while providing jobs for locals. Grove said that they “ship tens of thousands of packages every year” and are still adding clients and, from time to time, expanding their workforce. Accommodating client needs also has meant adapting new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and processes for custom work.
“The biggest thing is that we appreciate the support from the community,” shared Grove. He added, “Positive vibes are the big thing.”
Mongold stated that Initiative Distribution has served as a solid local corporate citizen, saying, “His company has been wonderful to work with and he takes great pride in our county.”
“We are proud to represent Pendleton County to the world,” Grove added.
