Chickens in the Office: Rhino Office Supply

I would like to announce that I now have my own office supply catalog.  I’m very proud of it.  Hungry Chicken Homestead is a one woman and four chicken business, but I have an office supply catalog right here in the office now, just like the big corporation I used to work for.

The catalog came from the only office supply company around that could truly understand the needs of a business such as mine.  Colorado Springs own Rhino Office Products, on Las Vegas St., is not only a local business itself, it also has chickens in the backyard!

Yes!  Chickens!  And you get eggs with every order!

Nathan Giffin, Rhino’s affable commercial sales manager invited me to visit.  I was greeted at the door by resident canines, Remy and Jackson.  Remy and Jackson were also affable, despite being elderly dogs.  I like elderly dogs.  They seem so happy to be alive, but without much jumping.

I had arrived just in time for Bagel and Lox Friday.  Nathan and Dave, one of the owners, generously offered me a bagel (which I declined but have been craving ever since).  Since there were eggs on the table, I wondered out loud if they would be making lox and eggs, a recipe I learned from my mother.  Nathan explained that the chickens were not keeping up with the current demand and he had brought some from his backyard flock to supplement customer orders.

See what I mean about understanding the needs of a business such as mine?

Jackson led us to the back door to see the resident flock.  The chickens live in a big run in the back.  Some days they get some free time in the fenced in yard, where they keep the bugs and weeds under control.  The chickens are also beneficiaries of the Springs Rescue Mission, which is right next door.  Mission personnel sometimes throw food scraps over the fence, taking advantage of chickens’ considerable food waste disposal and recycling abilities.

Nathan and I spent a long time talking about chickens and office supplies.  Naturally, I asked where I could get better pens since mine kept running out of ink and he gave me some, along with the catalog.

He told me they have no minimum order, they deliver, they offer free printer repair and they can often save customers a lot of money over what they would spend at a big box store.  He told me how he was able to save one customer $500 just by recommending a different brand!  No big box store would ever bother doing that.

But that’s the way it is with local businesses.  Friendly people, great service, and in the case of Rhino Office Products, a good breakfast!