Locally owned and operated - Keeping your investment in our community

Alpha Copies was founded in 2005 by John Crawford. John has called Ames and Central Iowa home for over 38 years. Alpha Copies was founded on the belief that it can always offer customers more than what they expected before they place their first order, and can always give a higher quality product at the fairest price. We try to have the lowest price as often as we can. Placing our business next to Iowa State was always our plan when choosing our first location. ISU students offer us a customer base that has a high level of expectation and keeps us sharp in what we offer and produce. Students also are a great source for staffing. What better to offer your peers than products and services you need and want. We think we have the finest group of staff members that a business can offer in Ames, Iowa.

John Crawford - Owner

In 1973 John started his retail career in the grocery business as a bagboy with HyVee and worked his way up to management at stores here in Iowa and Arizona. He also served as a retail counselor for 8 years by helping other retail operations work on goal setting, budgets, scheduling, and event planning.

"I think my time as a retail counselor helped me to become a better business operator. I was able to see average to great business people and give them help in making their business run better and at the same time gain experience on how to run my own business."

John entered the printing world in 1998 as an outside salesman for a local quick printer. After moving on to management with the company he took a position with a national chain in Des Moines overseeing their operations in the metro area.

"Now that I have seen how others do things in retail printing, I feel that I can offer everything and more of what my customer’s wants and needs are.

I also have to give credit to God and my wife Becky. Jesus Christ has been with us as we put our business plan together, built counters, opened our doors and through the thick and thin. Without centering our business decisions around him, I know things would not run as smooth. Maybe that’s what people notice is different about Alpha Copies? I hope so!"

Our vision statement reads:

"Serving an original God in a world of copies"

"My wife Becky has been with me since 1978 and we have been married now for over 28 years. Becky has been my source for encouragement and my barometer in many business decisions.

With this team and experienced background, I feel I have a better understanding for what customers want and need. Whether it is a student turning in a class project or a business wanting help with a campaign, I put their interests first and strive to deliver more than what they expected."

Do you want to be a part of Alpha Copies?

"I have always wanted to help others achieve their goals in life. Many people have given me help to make us successful here at Alpha Copies. I want to do the same for others.

You might live in a town here in Iowa and like what you see. You may not have a printing background, but you are at a point in your life that you’re ready for striking out on your own and are looking for just the right business opportunity. If Alpha Copies looks like a business you would like to be a part of let me suggest a few things:

1. Stop by for a visit and experience how we do things
2. Visit with our customers and vendors. I will give you a list to call and let them speak for us about what we are really like.
3. Put your business plan and resume together and send me an e-mail at johnccrawford@gmail.com and we can sit down over coffee and visit about your ideas and dreams.

If you know what good service looks like and want to have the chance to share it with others, let’s talk!"