Skokie native Robert Schmitt has never filled out a job application in his life. Yet Schmitt, now in his 70s, has a plethora of experience working in a variety of fields - from his parent's liquor store to serving in the United States Navy.

As of late, however, Schmitt has been managing his business, Robert's Office Supply, 7909 Lincoln Ave.

"My dad started Toni's Liquors," Schmitt said. "And my mom was running her own bookstore selling wholesale to libraries and schools. When I got out [of the Navy], I started working at both stores."

Schmitt said he saw a large demand for office supplies while working at his mother's bookstore.

"We processed library-type books. She was the salesperson for a lot of the schools," he said.

Schmitt's experiences working at his mother's bookstore led him to open his own business, Robert's Office Supply in downtown Skokie. Now, about 40 years later, Schmitt and his son are still operating that same business.

"You might say that my dad was a good teacher," Schmitt said. "He was a good business-oriented person and I learned everything from my dad about business ... What can I say, I grew up in a business-minded family."

Schmitt said that he saw a lot of success when first opening his business, back when "the little guys could make it with office products."

"It was a good opportunity back then, but I don't think there's room for anybody new," he said. "There are all these big outfits - Office Max, Office Depot, Staples. We're always asking ourselves 'What can we do to get customers to buy from us?' "

The office supply business is a $20 billion business that employees some 116,000 people, according to IBIS World, an online resource for business statistics.

Despite the big box retailers, Schmitt is still extending his family’s business minded tradition beyond his son. The Skokie native went to a woodworking class with his grandson and shortly after the two came up with the idea to start selling custom made wooden pens, which are housed in “exotic woods.”

"We thought [making custom pens] would be a really nice item for the store," Schmitt said. "People like them and when there's nothing else to do at the store it's a relaxing thing to do for me."