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Mill Valley Services to Close Sept. 30

9/25/2014

22 Comments

 
After falling on hard times since the economic recession and with a new owner planning to redevelop the property at East Blithedale and Sycamore avenues, Dave Semling is closing his shop.
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On October 1, the nearly 4,500-square-foot space at 250 East Blithedale Ave. won’t house a printing shop for the first time in nearly 35 years. 

Mill Valley Services, the print shop owned by Lagunitas resident Dave Semling for the past 25 years, and the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year in 1998 – is shutting down on Tuesday, September 30. The space was home to Mill Valley Printing for nearly a decade before Semling bought it after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

“It was a business that was just too far under water,” Semling says of the reason to shut down. “We’ve had an unbelievably great run here for the first 20 years. We have been so fortunate here in this community – we’ve worked with some of the greatest people you could possibly wish for.”

The property at the corner of East Blithedale and Sycamore avenues, which also includes Tony Tutto Pizza and a warehouse leased by SummerHouse, was sold in 2013 to San Francisco-based Worldco Company, a real estate firm run by Tony and Alvin Chan. Through MacCracken Architects, the new owners have proposed to redevelop the property, demolishing the 1,000-square-foot building that houses Tony Tutto Pizza and remodeling the 9,300-square-foot structure that contains Mill Valley Services and the SummerHouse space. 

The Planning Commission held study sessions on the proposal in November 2013 and again in March 2014. It is expected to hold a public hearing on the proposal in the coming months.

Semling says Mill Valley Services had been struggling financially for many years, first with the economic recession that began in 2008, which saw his business dip by at least 25 percent.

And then the rapid pace at which the printing business has been changing over the past decade made it difficult to take advantage of the economic recovery that followed, Semling says. He says he spent more than $1 million on digital printing equipment over the past five years, taking out lines of credit and using credit cards in the hopes that the business could survive. "But we just kept losing money," he says.

The industry’s technological changes have made it such that a business like his could buy the latest innovative printing equipment and see it become nearly obsolete just a few years later.

Couple that with national Internet-based competitors who can easily compete on price with local and regional independent businesses like his, and Semling says he was looking at a Sisyphean task.

He’s spent the past few weeks readying the transition, helping his nine employees figure out their next steps and having digital files transferred to Strahm Communications in San Rafael, a larger outfit that has already brought on one Semling’s employees.

“The printing businesses that are becoming something to everybody – those are the ones that will survive,” Semling says.

In addition to smoothing the transition as much as possible for employees and his longtime clients, the 75-year-old Semling has been planning for the next chapter of life with his wife Janet. They have to sell their home in Lagunitas in order to pay for their retirement.

“We have less objects around us, but our family is very close, so we’ll be fine,” Semling says, noting that two of his three daughters live in the area.

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22 Comments
Lyndasue Johnson
9/26/2014 01:42:14 am

I am sorry to see Mill Valley Service retire. We will miss them.

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David R. Peck
9/26/2014 03:04:16 am

Wishing Dave and Janet the very best. They are very nice good people.
Mill Valley been changing rapidly over the years. Now with all the inexpensive money available there are more than 10 buildings in the planning and reconstruction phases. All in the downtown area alone.

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Alan link
9/26/2014 03:30:35 am

Its a sad sign of the times when an economical printing business like that cannot survive.
Well at least some remain -- and if your looking for large format printing on photo paper, canvas or vinyl -- come on by.

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Lisa Palter
9/26/2014 03:56:42 am

As a small law firm, I have relied upon the office supply and copy services (especially) of Mill Valley Services for the 8 years I've lived here. This will be not only a sad loss for the friendships I've made there, but a hit to my ability to do business in this town. Now, both normal people and normal businesses are being priced out.

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Linda Rosso link
9/26/2014 04:36:13 am

Change is inevitable, but that doesn't make it easier. I agree with Lisa Palter's comment that losing this business will have an impact on many other small businesses and sole proprietors who for years counted on being able to walk or drive over to Mill Valley Services for copies, printing, files - all sorts of miscellany - without getting on the E. Blithedale and 101 traffic train. I wish Dave and Janet all the best in the next chapter of their lives - including enjoying more time with the grandchildren whose photos were prominently displayed under the glass counter.

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Chris Hill link
9/27/2014 02:59:52 pm

When I was looking to start my Mackie Mack stationery business back in March 2003, it was Dave Semling who sat me down and said he could help me. It has been a wonderful experience working with the MV Services "family" for the last 12 years- and I know that they have been very generous and supportive with other small businesses and local schools as well. Wow- they will be missed! Take care.

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Dena Cornett
9/29/2014 02:53:40 am

So sorry to hear. I have been doing business with them for over 20 years. Dave, Janet, Trish, Larry and the rest of the staff will be sorely missed!

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Eleanor Murray
9/30/2014 07:20:02 am

As a part-time graphic designer, Mill Valley Services took care of all my printing needs for the past 14 years. It was such a pleasure to get to see a proof, feel the paper, and actually have a relationship with your printer. I will miss them so much. Thank you Thank you for all the beautiful work! I hate to see you go.

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Colette Weil link
9/30/2014 07:24:05 am

I have used Mill Valley Services over the past 25 years for clients and non-profits. My kids grew up getting stickers in the store while I took care of business. Dave, Janet, Larry and the whole team are an integral part of our community and their kindness and services will be dearly missed.

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Stephan ie Witt
9/30/2014 08:25:30 am

Dear Dave,

I will personally miss you! You the person, you who Stuck it out through thick and thin, and you who helped businesses in Mill Valley over the years!
Take care, stay healthy and enjoy retirement.

Stephanie Witt

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len gensburg
9/30/2014 08:37:50 am

Dave and Janet have been wonderful neighbors since we moved here in 1990. I'm sorry to see them go, and wish them the best in their retirement.

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Jerry Tomlinson link
9/30/2014 12:03:42 pm

I have been in business with my San Francisco Crystal Fair for 28 years and Dave and MV Services has been with me all the way. I'm stunned. Hoo would have thunk? They are going to be hard to replace, very hard. God speed to you all.

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pamela nichols
9/30/2014 01:33:59 pm

I have loved using their services for over 33 years. Living in Mill Valley it was so convenient to get office supplies and office services from them instead of going to a big box store like Staples or Office Depot in San Rafael. The people were always so friendly and helpful. It is a shame our mom and pop stores are disappearing right and left. Your can go to any town now in America and find the exact same stores in all of the shoppng malls as if you were in one town and hadn't left.. It feels like our creativity and uniqueness as Americans is disappearing and being sold out to corporate dedeavors to save a buck. What a shame. I hope the owners have an amazing retirement and realize what a wonderful and soulful contribution they have made to our community. Lets hope there will be a resergence of smaller businesses making for a more accurate reflection of who we truely are and not what some board room decides us to be.

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Jane Scurich
9/30/2014 03:22:30 pm

I am so very sad to learn of the closing of Mill Valley Services. I can't possibly count the number of times that I have used their services. I have always known that I could stop in with any project, large or small, and know that I would walk away with my printing problems resolved.

From my many years of printing the MV Soccer Club news in the '90s to my current nonprofit printing needs, I have relied on MVP Services

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Rosie link
9/30/2014 03:59:16 pm

Oh so sorry to see this neighbor and home town business close. Lovely folks and great service

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Jan Spars
10/1/2014 01:16:11 am

The Outdoor Art Club will certainly miss M V Services for their good service and good prices. We have used them for years especially for our Garden Tour publications. Best wishes to Dave and crew.

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Tiffany
10/3/2014 01:28:59 am

I worked for Dave and Jan for almost 9 years and 10 years for my husband and we started a family with the shop. It is very sad to see the shop closed and will miss the crew and all of the wonderful neighbors, customers, and friends. Even our 9 year old misses the shop and the charm of the neighborhood. Dave and Jan go above and beyond to make sure their employees was taken care of even some didn't get a job placement. But we were all grateful that they put their employees first at this difficult time for them. Wishing them the best during this transition. Love to both of them!

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Betsy Bikle
10/4/2014 11:10:11 am

So many pleasant memories of walking in with a project, and ending up with a good project at a good price. Thank you for all the years of friendliness and service from keeping the copy machines going, doing layout work, figuring out paper weights, to folding 5000 letters!
Very best wishes to Dave and all.

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Tony Tutto link
10/6/2014 04:00:54 pm

We were just steps away and how old school in the most beautiful way. Family run, friendly & loyal long time staff, would always find a way to serve your needs. Many of our customers would shop there while waiting for their pizza & vice versa. Just great great neighbors and a sad day indeed for all of us who still appreciate TLC while having their business needs met! Meanwhile beware, they're no safe guards at all in Mill Valley to slow the tide of anxious chains, nor the "charge what the market will bear" commercial landlords. Seems like before long, the tail will be wagging the dog!!! Tony Tutto

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Leo Disaronno
10/10/2014 06:41:44 am

Those greedy landlords! They should charge below market just like restaurants do!

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Carol Fones
11/6/2014 02:13:14 am

Oh, I will so miss all of you and wish you the best. You have been such a part of my business and my personal life with announcements, cards, events and stationery. Thank you so much for all your service. You will be missed greatly.

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Gordon Smith
6/1/2015 09:12:02 am

This is catastrophic! One more nail in the coffin of Mill Valley livability. First Strawbridges & now Mill Valley Services. I'm with the commenter who seriously questions the ability to have a professional office or work from home in Mill Valley without any support services or suppliers. Who wants to waste an hour and a half fighting the traffic to Staples in San Rafael and back to pick-up a printer cartridge or copier paper that I need TODAY! and not two days from now on the net.

I believe the Chamber, the City Council and the Planning Department have a responsibility to think very carefully about what makes a town workable for it's residents. More nail and tanning salons is NOT the answer! Ditto tax right-off chic boutiques selling yoga togs for the bored wives of venture capitalist and Silicon Valley super-yuppies driving Teslas. It was only a decade ago that Mill Valley supported a vinyl record store that literally drew people from around the world. Go back another decade and Mill Valley was the sort of vital center that spawned hugely innovative enterprises like Smith and Hawkin and Banana Republic. Nowadays nobody in their right mind would take a risk like that in the smug, boring bourgeois burg Mill Valley has become.

BOTH the Chamber and the appropriate departments of City government instead really need to develop strategies (tax relief? how about commercial rent control?) that encourage useful small businesses in downtown Mill Valley and stem the exodus to the Strawberry shopping center and the accompanying traffic hell all day long on East Blithedale.

Our current mayor and city council are gaga for anything that might inflate the residential real estate market but absolutely clueless as to what it takes to make high-end property liveable. It's no fun to spend your days stuck in a traffic jam of all the survival-wage service workers who have no choice but to drive the old beater car they slipped their mechanic friend 50 bucks to clear inspection because public transportation is a farce in here in NIMBY land.

Myself, I am not going to buy again here. It's already obscenely expensive for the rapidly deteriorating quality of life. Virtually everyone I know is actively looking for a sane alternative. There is no longer any reason to pay a surcharge to live in a status-obsessed bedroom commuter suburb that has maybe one interesting restaurant and a serious vacuum when it comes to quick, affordable lunches. It's truly pathetic that the Mill Valley Market is the only place downtown to grab a sandwich and head outside.

It's become too painful to watch this once wonderful place to live choke itself to death for a quick buck.

Reply



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