250 Years for the US, 50 Years for Us

It’s a pretty big year for anniversaries. The country is turning 250, and here at Skurla’s, we are hitting our 50th year in business. It’s kind of cool that both started back in a ’76. Hitting a milestone like 250 years makes you stop and think about how awesome this country really is. Having the freedom to start a business from scratch, work hard, and build something of your own is something we try not to take for granted. That same independent spirit is a big part of what makes Alaska feel like home, too.

If you run a restaurant or a shop up here in Alaska, you already know it’s a different beast than doing business in the rest of the country. You have to deal with shipping delays, crazy weather, hard to find items, and everything else the state throws at you.

When you buy a point-of-sale system from some massive company outside, you’re basically just a number to them. If your system goes down on a Friday night during a rush, they’ll tell you to put in a support ticket. Or they’ll mail you a part that shows up in three days. That doesn't do you any good when you're already short-staffed and the line is out the door OR you're just overwhelmed and need someone to step in and take care of it for you.

We’ve been in those shoes. We know what it’s like when a critical piece of hardware dies right when you need it most, or when your internet goes down and you suddenly can't take credit cards.

Because we’re right here, we don’t just stay on the phone. We grab a spare part out of our inventory, get in the truck, and come out to fix it. If your internet is down, we’ll roll up our sleeves and figure out a workaround so you don't lose sales. We do it because we live here, too, and we know how hard you work to keep your doors open. And we actually care!

Our team at Skurla's is a mix of all kinds of different people from all walks of life. We aren't cookie-cutter tech folks. But everyone on our crew has the same basic mindset: we work hard, and we want to help our neighbors.

A lot has changed since 1976 when we started out fixing old mechanical cash registers. Today it’s all touchscreens, handhelds, and all sorts of cloud based services. But the main thing hasn't changed at all. We’re still local, we’re still here, and we’ve still got your back.

Thanks for letting us help you run your businesses for the last 50 years. God bless America, and here's to many more!