A simple challenge from his wife, Lynne, led to what has become a 40-year avocation-turned-vocation for John Szparka, AKA Sparky.  Back in 1984 when a young kid knocked over a street-side mailbox in their neighborhood Mrs. Szparka told her husband she was sure he could make a new mailbox for a lot less money than their neighbor had made the vandal pay to replace the damaged one.
Sparky, a machinist by trade and no stranger to wood and carpentry skills, ended up making a couple of new mailboxes for other neighbors during his leisure time that summer. Word of his craftsmanship spread, reaching the ears of developer Bernie Heinl who was doing a big housing project in Holland. With an order for 160 double mailboxes, Customized Mailboxes was launched, in addition to Sparky’s full-time job, along with coaching CYO baseball, football, and basketball for his four children’s various teams.
The mailboxes were so well received that other developers put Szparka on their recommended list of suppliers. Through the years, his Customized Mailboxes have made their way into several area subdivisions. “We have the specs for all the different subdivisions because we have boxes in many of those areas,” Mrs. Szparka offered. “We also have any number of repeat customers. We’ve had a couple of neighbors move to new states and they have had us make mailboxes for their new homes,” she reported.
The Szparkas attribute his success to his attention to detail, choices of wood, and high-quality finishing paint. “I use top-quality cedar wood and make sure all of the joints and corners are tight on the housing. I also leave a little space between the sides and the roof to be able to spray to keep carpenter bees and hornets from building hives in the boxes. When newspaper boxes are built below, I attach bee guards to the top of newspaper boxes to ensure carpenter bees can’t drill into the mailbox housing,” Szparka explained.
For the posts, he uses pressure treated 4-inch by 4-inch pre-treated Douglas Fir because it is water-resistant and durable. He also finishes the customized mailboxes with high-quality paint to match either the homeowner’s choice or the subdivision’s specifications. “I have over 70 paint color sample swatches for clients to choose from,” he noted.
Szparka handled all installations himself until recently when his son Greg joined the operation. “Now, he is the one bringing the finished product to the site, replacing the old when necessary, and installing new posts and mailboxes. Before the installation, we fill the hole with sand to create a solid base. Greg pays the same attention to detail so our customers know the job is done right and will last,” Szparka pointed out.
“We are now a true family business,” he said. “When Lynne retired from her nursing position, she took over the business side, answering the phone, and taking orders. Now, Greg has joined us, which has been a great help to me and the business.”