Dublin Store Offers Boxes by the Hundreds

If you’re looking for a big box, a small box, or a box somewhere in between, most likely has it.

The Village Parkway store carries about 200 sizes of boxes and has access to 400 more through outside vendors.

“We have boxes all the way up to 36 x 36 x 36 and larger,” said co-owner Arlen Jenkins.

There are gift mailing and shipping boxes, and shipping and packaging supplies, including cushioning materials, tapes and bags. The store also offers UPS shipping to all U.S. states.

Box World receives unusual requests from customers all the time, said Jenkins. A few weeks ago, for instance, the store boxed a sheet metal goat. Once, a customer brought in what looked like a World War II bomb that turned out to be a practice bomb, he said.

Items don't have to be small. The store regularly packages and ships model boats, cars and airplanes, as well as airplane and car parts. Quirkier objects being shipped often are items a customer has sold on the Internet, he said.

“Whatever [a customer] is selling on eBay, they can bring it in and we can package,” said Jenkins.

The store was established in 1988. Jenkins and his partner opened two other outlets in San Francisco and Santa Clara that they've since sold. 

Box World is a retail and wholesale outlet. The store is made to look like a warehouse to appeal to business owners, as well as to keep costs down.

“We try to keep our prices down, so we don’t have expensive furniture and décor,” said Jenkins.

Despite the low prices, Box World has struggled since the recession hit in 2008.

“Business has been very poor,” said Jenkins. “The last two years have been terrible.”

But people always move and the store has a thriving section for customers who need boxes and assistance, he said.

If the store doesn't stock what a customer needs, Jenkins said that he and his staff will make a plan to get it. 

"We can provide many items from our vendors."