12/18/2023
Hey everyone !
This is Adam over at Davidson Apparel - what a great year this has been !
This post is a bit of a novel, so proceed only if you’re in the mood for a story.
As many of you already know - Gordon, my dad, has been here for over 30 years providing custom printed apparel for the community, and it all started as a surprise.
Dad was a Route Driver for Lance for as long as I could remember. He tells me he worked at Duracell for a bit, but I was too young to remember. I DO remember that truck in our driveway every day, and never having to go far for a snack, however. He loved what he did, the places it took him, and the many people he met every day from every walk of life. I remember riding with him as a kid and him laying into the horn and waving out the window for friends that knew him to call back “Hey! Cracker-man!” Good times.
In February of 1993 he made the decision to go in with a partner and purchase a business. This place was for sale and they made the leap! Nobody knew the first thing about screen printing so the staff was retained and he continued to run his route.
My grandad - Jean Plyler - was recently retired and a competent manager so he spent his days up here handling the books and customers and driving orders through the process. I remember printing my first T-Shirt just before I turned 10 years old. It was a full family, multi-generational affair. Also - very, very cool.
By October of 1993 it was uncovered that some minor extortion was going on by the retained staff and a decision had to be made : Sell the business; Hire new and unknown staff; or leave Lance and the beloved cracker route and dive in headfirst and learn how to screen print.
I believe it was probably the very last time my dad chose the most difficult path willingly. After 6 years in this business I believe I understand now why he always leans towards the easy route.
So in October 1993 he showed up here at 28 W 1st Street and started the process of learning to print. All before the internet. Having gotten rid of the previous employees. He was completely self taught, relying on advice from the various sales reps to start, and then from friends he would meet in the industry.
Given the nature of it all, Dad never liked pushing too hard. He liked to keep it simple, keep his employee numbers low, and provide the best one on one customer service you’d be likely to find in the area at the time.
…. And that’s how he did it. For over 30 years that has been his way. It’s what has made him great. Our customers love him and even just pop in to visit when in the area, even if they have no need for shirts. He was always people first and loved making people happy.
31 years later he is set to retire and I am purchasing the business from him. He will still be around, but in a more limited capacity. He’s ready to go spend some time at the beach and with his wife, and on his hobbies, and ultimately just RELAX and have some good life. He’s definitely earned it.
We have a larger team here now than we ever have, we are growing every single year, and adding new services every chance we get. We are excited for everything that is on the horizon and look forward to serving the community for another 30+ years !
A little history is fun, and we’re storytellers here, so we’re always quick to tell it - but that is not the point of this post.
In August of 2023 Dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. It caught every single one of us here off guard and was the last thing we expected as we all prepared for the coming transition.
The cancer was caught early - I’ve said to people that have asked that ‘the diagnosis was the worst news we have received’, and this is true. Dad just completed his last session of chemo and is set for surgery in early January. We are all hopeful that this process continues to deliver the results we are aiming for. Please keep him in your thoughts as he prepares for this.
The past few months have been tough. We have been struggling here from time to time under the weight of the news, the pressure of the transition… figuring out how to do it all without him here.
We’ve managed to keep our standard turnaround mostly the same. As the holidays have crept up and life has crept in on some of us here (not to mention the past two weeks of sickness and bugs and viruses sheeeeesh) it has become a bit more difficult, but we are still pushing forward.
Dad will be back joining us for a week before Christmas tomorrow. We’ve needed him and are glad for him to be back. If you’re a friend and have the time, be sure to come by and say hello sometime.
2024 will be another year of growth and change for us. We have added heads of embroidery in 2023, and our embroidery operation continues to grow.
We added film transfers to our wheelhouse and offer them to the public for use at home or we will even apply them for you here.
We also have two NEW services we are planning to add in 2024 - but more news on them at a later date.
So from all of us here at Davidson Apparel we wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season and the best of New Years, and we look forward to seeing you and serving you in 2024 !
Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas !
-Adam
