By Tom Polanski

Mr. Ronick’s first article will appear in eBizine tomorrow, Wednesday, the 16th. So that you get to know a little about Roncik we’ve taken the liberty of preparing an over view. 

Mel is President of Stacks and Stacks, www.stacksandstacks.com, an e-commerce business which offers storage, organization and furnishing products. He started his career at IBM and has worked in computer sales, shopping center development and as a national retail leasing agent. 

Mr. Ronick started Stacks and Stacks in 1984 when shopping center development slowed because of high interest rates. He thought he might be able to grow the original store into a 50 store chain and go public. Instead he closed the stores he’d opened and went online in 1999 – 2000. 

He feels his biggest risk was when he decided to open on the Internet and close all of his stores. At that point in time big-box stores were coming into the Bay Area and each opening diminished his sales. His solution was to try something else, Stacks and Stacks. Ronick has stated that his business took off rather quickly and that it’s been growing 25 to 40 percent year after year.

He has noted that his biggest worry is sustaining the momentum because competition is increasingly fierce. One way he’s addressed the more competitive landscape is by adding new features to the business.

The entrepreneur he admires most is Michael Dell. The entrepreneur he’s most interested in meeting is Warren Buffet.

Stacks and Stacks Overview

HQ: Richmond.

2006 revenue: about $20 million.

Employees: 60.

Year founded: 1984.

Source of startup capital: Personal funds.

Company URl, www.stacksandstacks.com

To learn more about Ronick visit, http://www.info-gate.com/news.php