If the term "slow retail" were to ever catch on like say "slow food," it would be because of companies like
Underground Printing.
The Ann Arbor-based custom printed apparel provider (think t-shirts and embroidered clothing) has grown thanks in part to its enhanced technology and burgeoning Internet presence. However, its real growth is coming with new retail spaces.
"The technology is what we bring to back up the retail stores," says Rishi Narayan, owner of
Underground Printing. "The physical presence is why we have been able to grow. People feel comfortable with that."
The 11-year-old business has retail spaces across the U.S. that employ 150 people. Those include three new stores in Nebraska, North Carolina and in a former Blockbuster space in Ann Arbor. That growth has allowed the company to add a second shift to its production line and expand its Ann Arbor staff to 100 people.
"Our services have caught on and continue to grow primarily through word of mouth," Narayan says.
Source: Rishi Narayan, owner of Underground Printing
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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