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T-Shirt Business Started in a Garage
Monday 22nd of January 2007 08:41:16 PM
Ray Aldridge has been making custom designed printed T-shirts for over twenty-two years at his business called Expressions To Wear in Rancho Dominguiez in Los Angeles. He frequently sees people wearing his shirts all over the country. He decided to create the business with his friend after trying to order some school t-shirts when he was the financial manager for the Crenshaw High School. He took a four-day workshop at the U.S. Screen Printing Institute in Arizona and started his business in his garage with a drier and printer. The first printed T-shirt he created was for the Crenshaw High School varsity basketball team and then started to receive steady orders for his shirts. He kept his day job with the school and spent nineteen years working at two jobs. His business was expanded in 1987 with Express School Promotions and added other items of clothing such as sweatshirts and jackets to his list.
Aldridge said his experience as a financial manager helped with gaining more clientele. "Many people that are doing screen printing -- they don't have the business background. They may be great artists ... I'm not an artist, so my asset was that I was a business person." In 1992, he had to move his business out pf the garage and into a 900 square foot facility on Gardena Boulevard in Carson. His business grew further with more clients and bigger orders, which meant that he had to move again and added further products to his range such as magnets and pens. In 2004, his father died and he decided to cut down to one job, he said "The passing of my dad made me realize that time is short, life is short. So I decided to take an early retirement ... and focus all my (energy) into running the business full time."
Copyright Image © ‘shellgrand’ at www.sxc.hu
the chance to review the image is great for checking everything over one last time before printing. the time between reviewing the print and delivery was another positive, taking only a couple of days. my friends were really pleased with the finished items. unfortunately i was out when the courier called. he didn't note the date or time of his attempted delivery on his card and he hadn't filled in when or if he would attempt delivery again. on repeatedly phoning the company on a friday between 4:50 and 6 i got no answer. i then tried again on the monday morning, but once again i got no answer. after phoning clothes2order they resolved everything. i realise this is outwith the control of clothes2order, but it soured an otherwise excellent service.
Delighted with the results. Very popular so repeat orders very likely.
great service, no problems at all