Pushing the envelope

Alvin and Jason Chen were never groomed to take over CzipLee, nor did they have any intention to do so in the beginning. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star

IN an age where writing supplies and paper products can be easily replaced with a swipe of an app or the tap of a digital device, what is the key to surviving and even thriving as a stationery retail business today?

For local stationery stalwart CzipLee, the answer seems to lie in evolution, endurance and ever-strong familial ties, values which underpin and drive the business.

Founded in 1968 as a sundry shop in Kajang, CzipLee has grown to become a familiar name in the realm of stationery goods, offering a combined inventory of over 70,000 curated products across its outlets around the Klang Valley and in Johor.

Yet in the last few years, the family-owned business has been confronted with challenges ranging from fire and floods to pandemic-led demand fluctuations. According to CzipLee’s executive directors Alvin and Jason Chen, the ability to adapt, change and innovate has been a critical part of the business’ journey.

“There were a lot of stages in our growth,” says Jason. “Before the pandemic, every two years there would be changes to our location sites, displays, range of offerings and online store. We do all this and try to stay relevant in many ways, and it all goes back to our core, which is service and meeting the needs of our customers.”

Early chapters

When brothers Jason and Alvin say they grew up in the family business, they mean it more literally than most. “My first home was basically above the store,” reveals Jason, the eldest of the siblings. The first CzipLee shop in Kajang, which was opened and run by their parents, was where they spent most after-school hours as children.

“We would sleep at the shop. Our parents would be working and we’d be down behind the counter with our eyes closed. During school holidays, by default we’d have to work there to earn our pocket money and pay for ‘freebies’ we got from the store.”

Despite helping out with jobs around the shop when they were young, the brothers tell us that they were never groomed to take over CzipLee, nor did they have any intention to do so. With their cousins already involved in the business, the two had gone on to pursue their individual paths abroad.

It was only around the time their father, Peter Chen, started conceiving ideas to open a location in Bangsar that they were drawn back into the fold. “We came back from Australia, and one thing led to another,” recalls Alvin. “Jason joined the business, and he asked if I wanted to help out for a while and I agreed to do it for maybe two years...it’s been 18 years now,” he says with a chuckle.

Placed in charge of the Bangsar outlet, the brothers went to work bringing CzipLee’s distinct offerings to the district.

“At first we took the Kajang model and tried to do a copy-and-paste, but it didn’t quite work as the market was asking for a lot of different things,” Alvin says. “From there, we took that feedback and ran with it.”

While the original Kajang location retained its traditional selection of general stationery and office supplies, as well as its printing services, the Bangsar site provided an opportunity to bring in new concepts and ideas.

Not staying stationary

Through continual tweaks over the years, they transformed the brand in Bangsar into a beloved neighbourhood mainstay and the go-to spot for all stationery needs.

“It did take a while, especially going up against tradition and a family business that’s been successful in what they’ve done,” Alvin adds. “It wasn’t easy, but I think we gradually saw results as it’s very different from our Kajang store in terms of product range and categories.”

However, it was larger setbacks that acted as a catalyst for CzipLee’s most notable changes. In 2016, a fire broke out in their outlet in Bangsar, damaging most of the store’s stock and equipment. The silver lining in the unfortunate event, the duo point out, was that it offered a chance to start afresh.

“It gave us a new beginning, and we took that opportunity to sit down to replan the store and the whole business to have more workshop spaces and experience areas, and to bring in more brands, which the customers really liked,” Alvin says.

Just as the business expanded to open its first outlet in Johor, the pandemic came.

“That kind of changed everything,” states Jason. “So we evolved again, and it led to our online stores’ development being expedited. Then, when we reopened after the MCO, it was back to the drawing board again to work out how to capture customers in a changed post-pandemic market.”

In the ensuing years, the retail business’ cash flow problems put the leaders at a crossroads.

“We had to take a good look and ask ourselves if we should just sit back and enjoy the assets we have, or put the business first. Together with our parents, we decided to continue on with the business, but that meant we had to let go of the Bangsar corner-lot store to help improve our gearing.”

CzipLee sold its two-storey corner-lot landmark in Telawi and in the last year, pivoted their focus towards concept stores and pop-ups with distinct assortments of stationery, art supplies and lifestyle products.

The Jippuri concept pop-up, for example, specialised in exclusive Japanese stationery items, while the CzipPlus store in Bangsar offers premium stationery, high-quality craft products and an elegant Ink Bar.

Penning a family legacy

Since bidding farewell to the corner- lot store, the brothers admit that the past year of launches and pop-ups has been hectic. December saw the opening of the latest CzipLee store in Bangsar Village II, which will serve as a new home base to anchor the business. “The customers also missed having that big store home,” explained Jason.

For CzipLee, treating customers like family and taking account of their feedback has long been etched into the business’ DNA.

Alvin adds, “When you do business in a place like Bangsar, demands are higher as people know their stuff. When we first started in 2006, the customers were the ones requesting and introducing us to brands like Moleskine and Rhodia, and it’s always been that way.”

In turn, the Chens’ strategy when developing new concepts and enacting changes has always prioritised the specific needs of each location’s community. CzipLee’s loyal customer base is a testament to its emphasis on cultivating relationships with patrons.

“There are customers that have grown up with us and now they bring their own children here,” Jason says.

At the same time, CzipLee’s spirit of familial connection further rings true within the team. Alvin shares, “We’re very grateful because most of them have been with us for a long time, around 10 years on average, and they were happy to stick with us through the pandemic and the kelam-kabut past year. We call them our family.”

Even as the business maintains a flexibility towards change in the face of hardship, its ethos of resilience and family remains at the heart of CzipLee. “When we were considering giving up the business, it was our team and family that gave us strength and continues to be a driving force,” Alvin reflects.

“One thing that our dad has instilled in us is to always put our trust in God regardless of what happens, and what matters most is that everyone is alright. As long as we do things right and with integrity, we can keep going.”

This article first appeared in Star Biz7 weekly edition.