For the Business of Apparel Decorating
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80 || P R I N T W E A R S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7 PRINTWEAR SHOP SNAPSHOT B Y M I K E C L A R K O f all the promotional items available, the T- shirt is still one of the most popular items used by companies to spread their brand and mes- sage. This product is the centerpiece of Blue Moon Pro- motional, a contract screen-printing operation situated just north of Cleveland in Eastlake. "I would say 75 percent of our market is promotional products companies," explains founder Pierre Jamnicky. Jamnicky and his team of nine full-time workers churn out T-shirts year-round at a sizeable rate. He es- timates 2016's output at 400,000 impressions between all of his clients. Jamnicky began his business in 2008 and moved shortly after into a larger space. The company has operated in that building since 2009. After a brief stint with an embroidery branch, Blue Moon took over the entire 5,000-sqare-foot building when that company moved out. While the last few years have been heavily consumed with screen printing, Jamnicky explains that he wasn't always part of the apparel decoration industry. "I was a business owner before, a serial entrepreneur who'd started several businesses and I was looking for my next business to start," he states. "But it needed to be [a business] that met certain criteria. Jamnicky sought a business that offered both growth and stability. He ultimately saw contract screen printing as a viable option. "I started doing contract screen printing because I wanted sub- scription-style sales," he explains, adding that while customer acqui- sition costs may be higher in this scenario, the model of a long-term, repeat customer made more sense to him. Within the first year, he secured his first $60,000 contract before even pulling a squeegee. While large-scale jobs are still a big part of Blue Moon's liveli- hood, Jamnicky explains that get- ting involved in screen printing also helped move him into a new indus- try where he felt like he was creating something important. "When I was involved in comput- er sales, I wasn't creating anything," says Jamnicky. "Here it's just great to create something. People actu- ally care and are excited about getting their shirts." He also points out that after years of working in different indus- tries, his business view now focuses heavily on taking care of his hardworking team. "I enjoy seeing my guys grow and get better," he states. "I try to create a great environment for both the employees and the clients." In the digital sphere, Jamnicky keeps busy running The Shirt Board, an online forum where decorators can look to other industry peers for advice and troubleshooting. Quality is key, Jamnicky contends and says he and his team strive to provide something special for every client that walks through the door. That, and focusing on special effects prints, simulated process, and four-color process prints, he says, has garnered his shop multiple awards over the recent years. "We try to add value that will make their life better," he stresses. For more information, visit http://bmpromotional.com/. Blue Moon Promotional AT A GLANCE • COMPANY NAME: Blue Moon Promotional • LOCATION: Eastlake, Ohio • OWNER: Pierre Jamnicky • SQUARE FOOTAGE: 5,000 sq. ft. • PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT: • 2 ROQ Automatic Presses • 1 MHM Automatic Press • 9 Full-time employees "I would say 75 percent of our market is promotional products companies," explains founder Pierre Jam- nicky. (All images courtesy Blue Moon Promotional) In addition to striving for excellent customer service, the shop prides itself on a range of special effects prints. Blue Moon operates a 5,000-square-foot facility in Eastlake, Ohio.