Paper Tree is another homegrown business that started in Davao City back in 1997 when it opened a bookstore. Now it has eight branches around the city.
"All our stores if you have noticed ay malapit sa schools," Rowell Chong, the spokesperson of the company, says in an interview.
It is like any other bookstore selling all school and office supplies (SOS).
The catchy name is actually correlated since paper comes from trees. He says they have one business partner based in Manila, but otherwise, the company started in Davao.
"Our father started in the scrap metal business before Paper Tree," he said.
He said Paper Tree is a retail-based company owned and operated by Davao Unified Corporation (DUC). It was established in response to the market's need for more accessible and more affordable school and office supplies (SOS) stores near schools around the city.
"As of 2008, we are operating eight stores within Davao City, seven of which are near educational institutions. The Paper Tree Sta. Ana and Bolton branches are our flagship stores," he said.
The DUC Retail Store, which is located along Sta. Ana Avenue corner Alvarez Street (near the Oceanic and Lorenzo Shipping Warehouses), offers personalized, assisted shopping for wholesalers in and out of town.
Rowell says wholesalers can leave their shopping lists at DUC Retail Store and come back to pick them up after they're done with their other business shopping activities.
"Makuti sa inventory. One brand of ball pen has three line items already, black, blue and red," he reveals.
Even as a child, Rowell was always assumed to take part in the family business someday.
"It is both by choice and by blood," he says about being a businessman. "As of now our focus is palakihin ang negosyo. Sayang bitawan."
He says he might open his own business in the future but has to make sure that it will work.
"Sa panahon ngayon mahirap mag-start from scratch with other competitors," he said.
Paper tree is not applicable for franchising since everyone in the business has the same supplier.
"Walang distinctiveness in this business. We have the same supplier. No exclusivity and not enough to warrant franchising," he explains.
Paper Tree aims to build lasting relationships with its clients by offering excellent products and services that fit their needs. It also aims to create a profitable, sustainable, and growing company that all can be proud of and benefit from.
Rowell says they continually upgrade their product offerings to bring reliable products that their clients will be happy to use.
"We do this by producing and/or sourcing through local and overseas suppliers," he says.
Paper Tree offers house brands products like Hi Pen, Hi Bond and Hi Book Papers, Schnell Writing Instruments, Good Deal Work Books and Good Deal Office and Printing Supplies, which are all backed by the company as reliable.
Paper Tree also opened a printing press in 2007. It now accepts job orders for calendars, formal theme books and other school and office supplies.
"The printing press synergizes the business," Rowell said.
He believes Davao is a fast and growing market and is ripe for the business sector.
Last month, Paper Tree launched its newest member, Media Lab. "It will be the marketing arm of Paper Tree," Rowell says.
Media Lab will do the canvassing, printing and serve needs for tarpaulin, sticker, point of purchase materials, signage, and other printed materials in a very fast very good quality and very cost effective way.
"It will be like a back door strategy," Rowell says. "It will take client calls, telemarketing, wholesale marketing, retail marketing to make Paper Tree more accessible."
At present, the company services clients who buy by bulk from as far as Digos and Tagum. An expansion to these areas is seen in the next couple of years but the point of concentration for now is its clients in the city.
Paper Tree also introduces its online store website where clients can shop online for their school and office supplies. Clients can log on to www.thepapertree.com.ph to get the unique benefits of the online store. Its feature includes tracking full purchase histories.
Once logged in, clients can track all of their purchase histories up to item details for easy monitoring and manage office and personal supplies costs. It also track a client's account balances online on existing accounts payables.
For those who are interested in Paper Tree services, you may call 300-1279 or visit their branch located at Bolton Street, which is in front of the University of Mindanao.
Now there is one bookstore that brings school and office supplies right at your doorstep.
