Glad you could make it this far!
In 2000, we moved, added the other nineteen sewing heads, four brand new employees and an enormous amount of space. It was pretty thrilling, having actual offices, a work area that sometimes hummed along with the sounds of machines running and people talking. Team Mates started to look like an actual business?
There were difficulties, of course. The employees at the place we purchased were ready to quit, but agreed to stay for a short time longer, just to help us out. We, of course, begged and pleaded. It was disgusting. Thankfully, they didn't embarrass us by taking pictures or anything.
Our really sad part was that Mary (from page 2) decided to move on. She was 69 by then and wanted to go home to Michigan with her daughter, who was planning a move. Retire? No way. She still works, four years later, as food services manager for a retirement community in Benton Harbor. A wonderful woman and we miss her a lot. We still send her cards and presents at Christmas.
On the other hand, four of the employees we hired in 2000 are still with us, still working hard and are now part of the nine people who keep very busy in the shop today. They have become experts in the embroidery industry, doing some of the most complex tackle twill and embroidery imaginable. We're lucky that they've joined the team and hope that they stay for a long time to come.