Santa Barbara

From Isla Vista to America: The Rise of Kinko’s

One of Santa Barbara County's greatest entrepreneurial success stories began in a tiny storefront in Isla Vista with a single copy machine, a young entrepreneur with curly red hair, and an idea that college students desperately needed.

How a Tiny Copy Shop Called Kinko’s Became a National Success Story

Some of the greatest business success stories in America began in garages.

Others began in basements.

One of Santa Barbara County’s greatest entrepreneurial success stories began in a tiny storefront in Isla Vista with a single copy machine, a young entrepreneur with curly red hair, and an idea that college students desperately needed.

That little copy shop became Kinko’s—one of the most recognizable business service companies in the United States.

Before Laptops, Before Email…

It’s hard for today’s students to imagine life before laptops, Wi-Fi, cloud storage, laser printers, and PDFs.

In 1970…

  • There was no Internet.
  • There were no smartphones.
  • There were no personal computers.
  • Typewriters were everywhere.
  • Photocopies were precious.

Every term paper had to be typed.

Every flyer had to be copied.

Every club announcement had to be printed.

And if you made a mistake on page seven…

You started over.

Students at UC Santa Barbara needed a place where they could make inexpensive copies quickly, especially late at night.

One young entrepreneur noticed.

Meet Paul Orfalea

Paul Orfalea wasn’t attending UCSB.

He was a student at the University of Southern California (USC), but he had discovered something important while watching students use library copy machines.

There simply weren’t enough places where students could make copies.

Recognizing an opportunity, Orfalea borrowed $5,000 from a local bank and leased an incredibly small storefront—about 100 square feet—next to a hamburger stand in Isla Vista, just outside the UCSB campus.

His new business offered:

  • Photocopies
  • School supplies
  • Film processing
  • An offset press
  • Friendly service

It wasn’t glamorous.

But students loved it.

Why “Kinko’s”?

The unusual name had nothing to do with photocopiers.

It came from Paul himself.

Friends had nicknamed him “Kinko” because of his distinctive curly (“kinky”) red hair.

Instead of naming the business something ordinary like “Campus Copies,” he simply used his nickname.

The name stuck.

And eventually the entire country knew it.

Business Was… Tight

The original shop was so small that when things became busy, the copier was reportedly rolled outside onto the sidewalk so customers could make their own copies.

Imagine that today.

A copier sitting on the sidewalk.

Students standing in line.

Papers blowing in the ocean breeze.

It wasn’t elegant.

It worked.

Sometimes the best businesses begin by solving one simple problem exceptionally well.

Understanding Students

Paul Orfalea understood something many businesses overlooked.

College students don’t work normal business hours.

They write papers late at night.

They forget assignments.

They need copies five minutes before class.

Instead of closing at five o’clock, Kinko’s gradually became famous for staying open 24 hours a day.

That decision became one of the company’s greatest competitive advantages.

Soon students everywhere knew:

If you needed copies at two in the morning…

Kinko’s was open.

Growing Across America

Rather than opening stores randomly, Orfalea repeated the Isla Vista formula.

Find a college town.

Open near campus.

Serve students.

Hire great local people.

Then repeat.

Within just a few years, Kinko’s locations began appearing near universities across California before expanding throughout the United States.

The little Isla Vista copy shop had become a national business.

More Than Copies

As technology evolved, so did Kinko’s.

The stores gradually expanded into:

  • Desktop publishing
  • Color printing
  • Graphic design
  • Business cards
  • Posters
  • Presentations
  • Binding
  • Fax services
  • Computer rentals
  • Shipping services

Small businesses soon became just as important as students.

By helping entrepreneurs look professional, Kinko’s became an essential resource for countless startups throughout America.

A Billion-Dollar Business

By the early 2000s, Kinko’s had grown into an international company with more than 1,000 locations, billions of dollars in annual revenue, and a reputation for customer service and innovation.

What had begun with a single copier in Isla Vista had become one of the world’s largest document and business service companies.

FedEx Comes Calling

Success attracts attention.

In 2004, FedEx purchased Kinko’s for approximately $2.4 billion.

For a time, the stores became known as FedEx Kinko’s before eventually adopting today’s familiar name:

FedEx Office.

Although the signs changed, many longtime customers still fondly refer to the stores simply as Kinko’s.

It’s one of those brand names that became part of everyday American language.

Giving Back

Paul Orfalea never forgot where the journey began.

Over the years, he and his family have supported numerous educational and charitable initiatives throughout Santa Barbara County and UCSB through the Orfalea Foundation and personal philanthropy.

Their contributions have supported education, early childhood programs, entrepreneurship, and university initiatives, continuing a relationship with the community where Kinko’s first opened its doors.

An Isla Vista Success Story

Every day, thousands of students walk through Isla Vista without realizing they’re passing the birthplace of one of America’s most successful business stories.

It wasn’t Silicon Valley.

It wasn’t Wall Street.

It wasn’t New York.

It was a tiny college community next to UC Santa Barbara.

One copier.

One entrepreneur.

One good idea.

Sometimes that’s all it takes.

Did You Know?

  • ✔ The first Kinko’s opened in Isla Vista in 1970.
  • ✔ The company was named after Paul Orfalea’s childhood nickname.
  • ✔ The original store was only about 100 square feet.
  • ✔ At times, the copier was reportedly rolled onto the sidewalk when the shop became too crowded.
  • ✔ Kinko’s expanded by opening stores near college campuses across America.
  • ✔ FedEx acquired Kinko’s in 2004, and the stores later became FedEx Office.

Nearby Attractions

  • University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
  • A.S. Pardall Center
  • Isla Vista Food Co-op
  • Campus Point
  • Anisq’Oyo’ Park
  • Sands Beach
  • Coal Oil Point Reserve
  • Storke Tower

Santa Barbara Local Tip

The next time you’re exploring Isla Vista, remember that one of America’s great entrepreneurial success stories began here. It’s a reminder that transformative ideas don’t always come from corporate boardrooms—they can start in a tiny storefront serving students with a simple solution to an everyday problem.

Editorial Note

This article was researched and prepared by SantaBarbaraLocal.com using a combination of original editorial work and artificial intelligence. Information has been compiled, cross-referenced, and reviewed using historical publications, company histories, university archives, and reputable online references to promote accuracy. Because historical accounts may vary in certain details, readers are encouraged to consult additional primary sources when conducting in-depth historical research.