S.F. Travis & Company

While we were in Cocoa, we stopped into S.F Travis & Company. Scott had read about the multi-building hardware complex. He'd heard that if Travis didn't have it, you couldn't find it, and was curious to see what all the fuss was about.

Multi-building hardware complex pretty much hits the nail on the head here. There are two HUGE buildings, connected on the upper floors by an outdoor cat walk. There are old, tin ceilings and galvanized pipe hand railings. We walked down aisle after aisle of endless parts and supplies; each item was more than well stocked. Scott was in awe at the things they had; things that took weeks to get at home, by special order. It was like Disneyland for him, definitely sensory overload!

When we came back down to the front desk, Scott asked if they shipped things. We met and talked to the owner, who gave us a card, and explained the extent of their delivery service. Travis services to all kinds of companies. They service NASA, and large cruise ships, as well as hospitals and companies who can only find what they need through him. He's shipped stuff to Germany, so an American contractor had the stuff waiting for him to use upon arrival there, saving the guy from having to order and communicate in German. Travis will also bring in items that he doesn't have. He has ordered stuff from Philadelphia at 11am, arriving in his store for a customer at 4pm the same day.

He talked of his business as a "practice", like a doctor or lawyer. After being in business for 45 years, he's fine tuned his customer service. He's interested in helping and serving his customers, not gouging them. Scott thoroughly enjoyed his visit. I couldn't help but take some pictures of him wandering through the aisles, and of all of the stuff!