TORRINGTON – From a small office supply store to a one-stop shop for everything from pens and paper to cell phones, musical instruments, scrapbooking supplies, furniture, and more – it’s clear father-son duo Rick and Greg Hoppal have a knack for business.

Rick originally purchased the office supply store, called TOPS, or Torrington Office Products and Services, in 1993. The business was located at 1925 Main St. – a few doors down from its current location at 1945 Main St. He changed the name to Torrington Office Supply (TOS) and got to work.

“When I bought it, it was not doing a lot of business,” Rick said. “By 1994, we had outgrown that building and had to find something bigger. This corner lot came available at that time.”

But Rick wasn’t finished expanding. He eventually purchased a nearby pet store, sign manufacturing business, and hair salon to accommodate his increasing offerings, including scrapbooking supplies and furniture.

“That’s a big part of our business now,” Rick said, adding TOS began offering furniture about a decade ago. “We were doing furniture before, but didn’t have a way to display it. Now we’ve got a whole room full of furniture. About three or four weeks ago, we got a truckload of furniture in.”

TOS has supplied furniture for the Goshen County School District administrative offices, Eastern Wyoming College, Torrington Middle School, Pinnacle Bank, First State Bank, Platte Valley Bank, Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution, and others.

“Part of that, they’re all community-minded, and so am I,” Rick explained. “I’ve been on a lot of committees to support the community. We’ve all got to know each other fairly well. They gave us a chance to bid, and we came in lower than other places.”

In fact, Rick served as Retail Merchant President for five years, and on boards for the Goshen County Chamber of Commerce, Goshen County Economic Development Corporation, Community Hospital, Torrington Rotary and senior centers throughout Goshen County.

“There are 6,000 pieces of furniture now we can get in overnight,” Greg said. “And 14,000 we can get in within a couple weeks. Outside of that, we can special order just about anything.”

TOS also offers home delivery. Customers can browse products via an online catalog at toswy.com.

Scrapbooking is another very popular pastime at TOS, with the business hosting monthly crops – or get-togethers to visit and craft – and themed kids’ classes in
the summer.

Employee Gypsy La’More said she hopes to hold a class every other week
this summer.

“Last year, we had Shark Week-themed class – we did crafting with sharks,” La’More said. “We try to keep (the classes) really inexpensive. The most expensive class we’ve done was a fairy garden, which included (all supplies) plus a snack.”

In addition, La’More can custom cut fabric, leather, paper, etc. for projects and crafts using TOS’ electronic cutting machine.

Shoppers may also rent or buy musical instruments at TOS, or bring in a damaged instrument and the Hoppals have a place they can send it for repairs.

TOS sells copiers and offers service through an outside company, plus cleaning and facility supplies; prints business cards, flyers, banners and posters; and offers computer service and repair with a real-time monitoring option through LockdIt.

“We have 75,000 different items, with a 99-percent fill rate,” Greg said. “It’s either stuff our main supplier added to their line, or it’s stuff where we’ve seen a need in the community. Something no one else was doing, so we just decided to take care of it.”

“I never believed in a million years I’d be operating that many different things,” Rick said. “As I came to find out, in a small community like this, you have to branch out.

“Every since I opened up the business, one of those things I wanted to stress was customer service,” he continued. “I tell my employees, ‘When you are waiting on a customer, don’t look at that person as a customer, look at it as being you and what would you expect?’ If you can satisfy yourself on the other side of the counter, 95 percent of the time you can satisfy the customer. I’ve never really thought of people being customers, anyway. They’re more like neighbors, friends, and associates.”

By combining a sense of community, customer service, and identifying needs within the area, TOS will celebrate 25 successful years this Friday, June 1.

“We’re doing 25 percent off scrapbooking and art supplies,” Greg said. “We’re also doing 25 percent off sale prices on all the furniture in stock. We also have over $2,500 in door prizes and giveaways. Come in, we’ll do drawings … some (items) will be random giveaways to people.”

A drawing for an active desking solution with a adjustable table, monitor arm, perched seat and anti-fatigue mat worth $1,700 is planned, as well as a drawing for an Echo Show – a smart speaker with a video monitor.

“There are lots of other prizes,” Greg said. “All day Friday, and free lunch.”

Looking ahead to the next quarter-century, the Hoppals plan to continue expanding as the need arises, with a slight change in leadership.

“The next 25 years is going to be up to my son,” Rick said. “I’ll probably never retire, but I’m pretty much leaving him to run
things now.”