Johnnie’s Office Systems, Inc. Our Story
As the story goes in 1956, John Guillen purchased Temple Office Machines and changed the Name to Johnnies off Machines. John decided this on his birthday November 4th, 1958, and signed on the line while his wife was 8 months pregnant with their 1st born. This was a leap of faith both John and Linda took as they didn’t have much money or even the option of financial backing. In those days not many banks with loan money to a minority, so John decided to take out loans at several little banks in and around Temple. The larger banks wouldn’t even give him a chance. One by one the banks would give him just a little money, so he would go to the next and borrow a little more until he could buy cash registers, adding machines and typewriters to sell. He would be diligent about paying his bank notes, because he would eventually need to ask for more money. And eventually he would be the one courted by the bank and not the other way around.
Over the Years...
The hours were grueling to keep the small company running. John would sell equipment by day and repair at night with Linda by his side, he taught her how to get the machines ready for him to repair in their make-shift assembly line. They worked hard as their first born was not well and hospital bills would need to be paid, but they knew the little one was in good hands with his grandmother. The company began to grow, and family started working with John, he was joined by his brothers Chancy and Fred. Now it was the time of Vietnam and Johnnie’s won contracts with Ft. Hood and all three men would take truck loads of typewriters to the base. This was a good financial time for Johnnie’s and a large growth spurt but would be overshadowed by the loss of their first-born Anthony. Times were hard and all the family was heartbroken, but they pressed on, and John threw himself into work as a way of mourning.
Our New Corporate Office
Although hard, this benefited the company with his diligence and the company continued to flourish. Years passed and John was told time and time that he would not make it by his competitors. One by one he saw them fall but did not take joy in it as it probably alarmed him that he could be next so it pushed him and Linda further to keep succeeding.
In 1986 Johnnies Office machines updated it’s name to Johnnie’s Office Systems, Inc. This would match more with the advanced technology it had started to sell for Toshiba and Kyocera Brand Copiers. This would change the trajectory of the company and again John and Linda would see other companies that didn’t evolve disappear.
In 1997 Johnnies Office Systems moved to its new location on Ave M in Temple and was out of downtown Temple for the first time ever. The company continued to be managed by John and Linda Guillen until 2006.
Johnnies Office Systems is now a staple in the Office Technology and IT Business industry in Central Texas serving Waco to Austin and Temple to Gatesville.
