Some say variety is the spice of life, and now those looking for printing services have one more choice.

Wintech, located at 126-A S. Fourth St., provides services for copying, printing of letters and signs and making business cards. The business, which opened two weeks ago, joins Copy Service, 1005 W. Lincoln Highway, and NIU Document Services as in-town printing places.

By using a large-format digital printer, Wintech also makes banners, billboards, posters and signs for the sides of trucks and for buildings. The company recently made banners and custom-made frames for the LPGA Tournament in Aurora.

Wintech is a family-owned company that started six years ago and is a division of Wintech’s Aurora headquarters. Aurora general manager Daniel Mass said one of the reasons they opened a business in DeKalb is to experiment in retail.

“DeKalb has a lot of potential for the the kind of products we sell,” Mass said. For example, a group could have T-shirts, embroidered polo shirts and hats produced.

The company prides itself on quick service.

“We never ran into a challenge that we couldn’t face,” Mass said.

Wintech offers to print a picture or computer image on things like clocks, coasters, coffee mugs, stuffed teddy bears and barbeque aprons.

Businesses also can ask Wintech for help on ideas to change their advertising or for advice on promoting. One of the companies Wintech helped with promotion was Aurora’s Big Apple Bagels. To draw attention to their customers, Wintech made lighted menu boards for their restaurants.

Copy Service could be Wintech’s main competition. It has been in business since 1978 and has 3,000 square feet of office supplies. Copy Service manager Nancy Baker feels that the location of Wintech may pose a problem for attracting customers.

“Many places in that area have no parking,” Baker said.

The store is owned and operated solely by NIU senior Stephen Khant, who is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Khant chose the downtown location for Wintech because he feels it will have a broader market. However, Baker wonders how long Wintech can stay in business.

“I have seen a lot of businesses in that area come and go,” Baker said. “We’re not just a copy place. We also sell office supplies and furniture.”

Neither Wintech nor Copy Service considered each other as competitors, as of now, for the printing market in DeKalb.

“I really do not know much about Wintech, as for competition, that remains to be seen,” Baker said.

Khant plans to work with Copy Service and NIU Document Services in the future.

“We just supply students and the community with another option,” he said.

Khant added that he wants to open another store on campus in the future.