GLADYS HODGES: PART OF A FAMILY BUSINESS

The printing shop on Filmore Street, sitting between the Bank of Mississippi and Century 21, has the business name of Rankin. But when a customer moves inside, they’re just as likely to be greeted by a member of the Hodges family.

The Hodges along with Don Hutchens, Mrs. Hodges brother, bought the shop in 1971. Don is married to Helen, who also helps out in the shop. They have two children, Connie and Duke.

“It’s really a family affair around here,” Mrs. Hodges said.

“Although it’s a family affair, we’ll never change the name,” she added.

The Hodges are the parents of Jeff and Tim Hodges, Jeff and his wife, Landy, work at the shop.

“Everybody helps out around here,” Mrs. Hodges said.

When Mrs. Hodges came to Corinth 12 years ago she worked from a small amount of room as her office space. Today her office has expanded with more room in which to work.

“The hardest part when I first started,” Mrs. Hodges said, “was learning how to buy what people needed as far as office supplies were concerned,” she said.

Mrs. Hodges, who worked in Booneville at American Seating, handles the office supply end of the business. She also handles the accounts payable, a small percentage of the bookkeeping and various other jobs.

“It’s very challenging,” Mrs. Hodges said. “There’s never a dull moment,” she said about working around the office.

Mrs. Hodges says she enjoys dealing with the public, meeting new people and personalities.

“For the most part the people in Corinth are very friendly,” Mrs. Hodges said. “We’ve met a lot of people here and made a lot of friends,” she added.

Rankin Printing supplies a large percentage of the businesses in Corinth with printing and office supplies.

“We do more printing than office supply,” Mrs. Hodges said, giving examples such as news letters, stationary and envelopes.

“We get a lot of walk-in business,” Mrs. Hodges said, “from high school students and citizens in Corinth for various reasons.”

Since buying the shop 12 years ago, the Hodges have expanded in several areas.

“We’ve opened the upstairs layout room, darkroom,” Mrs. Hodges said.

They’ve added a typesetting computer, three offset presses, a new paper cutter, folding machine and padding machine.

“It cuts down on the work load,” Mrs. Hodges said of the new machines.

Mrs. Hodges worked for the Daily Corinthian for three years as a typesetter.

“I can’t run the presses, but I can set type on a lineotype and use a hand feeding press,” Mrs. Hodges said about the obsolete machines.

When Mrs. Hodges finds time away from her busy schedule, she relaxes by spending time with her husband at a friend’s cabin.

“Ride three-wheelers, and sit around and enjoy pleasant conversation,” is how she describes a day off.

“Someday I hope we’ll be able to relax more and travel,” she said.

Mrs. Hodges gave as her ultimate goal to tour the United States.

“Instead of going to a foreign country,” Mrs. Hodges said, “I would love to tour the United States more than anything else.”

“There’s so much here that I’ve never seen,” Mrs. Hodges said.

Mrs. Hodges says she would like to tour the East Coast, particularly the New England states.”