HyperStitch

HyperStitch evolved over a period of a year during 1995-96. Pat Lawlor had been a junior high teacher in Huntley, but had started to feel the effects of teacher burnout after 20 years with a red pen. She and her husband Patrick Lawlor kicked around ideas for a second career option, investigating certain franchise opportunities, and other options. After a year of researching and planning, they bought their first embroidery machine, and Pat went to work in her family room. After 2 months, they purchased a second machine with 2 heads, and the rest of the story has been a steady increase/improvement every year. Although some customers came to her house to do business, Pat typically was on the road while Barb and others kept the machines humming. After 3 years HyperStitch moved into the lower level of Prairie St, adding screenprinting in 2000, as well as more employees. Vinyl and sublimation are other added techniques, and by the summer of 2005, HyperStitch expanded into the entire building at their current location. HyperStitch now has 5 full time employees, 6 part-time employees, and many thousands of loyal repeat customers. Our customer profile is 65% corporate, which includes large national and regional companies, as well as smaller locally-owned companies with 1 to 25 employees. Most of these customers need garments to wear on the job or to trade shows, or even on the road. Many businesses make home visits, like heating, plumbing, electrical, remodeling, landscaping, duct cleaning, dog training, realtors, and home inspection service companies. Wearing corporate wear for identity purposes is vital! Many of them use our promotional products to hand out to their customers. 30% of annual sales are to non-profit groups like churches, schools, scouts, charities, and sports leagues. Typically, these orders are from dozens to 100's, with multi-media on most shirts, screenprinted front and vinyl name, for instance. The last 5% constitutes one of a kind orders such as custom birthday shirts ( some of our customers have a wicked sense of humor! ), baby blankets, Christmas stocking names, horse blanket names, golf bag names, etc. We stitch on almost anything!