By Jennifer Stultz Editor jstultz@cherryroad.com
Christmas 2022 could also be over, however step into WillowZ Boutique at 611 S. Essential, Pratt, Kansas, and the sensation of discovering one thing excellent for somebody, even your self, is inescapable.
Simply contained in the entrance door are purses, jewellery, warmies for infants and adults, coats, jackets, shirts, dwelling decor, slicing boards, wedding ceremony favors, glasses, mugs and extra. And all these may be personalized to provide a neighborhood contact.
“The entrance of this place is the leisure room,” mentioned retailer proprietor Karen Baird. “We’ve got a workroom within the again the place we will do something personalized on request.”
Baird’s accomplice, Mike James, operates 4 embroidery machines and a laser engraver, whereas Baird makes a speciality of customized design, display printing and vinyl slicing.
“We simply obtained a sublimation machine that we will use to switch photos onto issues like mugs or hats,” Baird mentioned. “I am nonetheless practising on it at dwelling.”
Baird mentioned the most effective a part of coming to work day by day at her store, WillowZ, is the number of duties and the enjoyable of designing one thing new to fulfill the wants of shoppers.
“I like issues to be completely different. It is simply a number of enjoyable,” he mentioned.
Baird and James began their enterprise in 2005 and have been part of Pratt’s Essential Road enterprise scene since 2018 with graphic designs. Since then, they’ve expanded into attire printing and promotional merchandise, in addition to including customized embroidery, signage, and even pet merchandise.
“We’ve got customized canine collars that we will warmth press names on or engrave on canine tags,” Baird mentioned.
Supervising the specialty pet merchandise is Titan, a well-behaved German Shepherd pet who provides to the enjoyable ambiance of every little thing that occurs inside WillowZ.
Just lately, WillowZ created a fundraising marketing campaign for Skyline Colleges, creating an internet ordering level for varsity t-shirts and sports activities tools.
“We are able to increase cash for anybody,” Baird mentioned. “Principally, a faculty or group is available in and selects the designs they wish to submit after which we make every little thing able to order on-line. We accumulate the orders and the college receives a share of the revenue.
As for objects which can be standard for Christmas within the retailer, Baird mentioned he’s reordering among the specialty items that have been offered in December 2022.
“I’ve a model new cargo of Warmies,” he mentioned. “The tots, necklaces and child objects are utterly offered out, however we now have extra for many who could not get them at Christmas. They have been very well-known.”
Baird mentioned one other merchandise that sells nicely all yr and at Christmas is replaceable door mats.
“I promote a number of these,” he mentioned. “It’s a must to select the underside trench after which you may substitute the inside picture for seasonal use. We’ve got a number of choices and folks love them.”
Snap jewellery, customized patches, tea towels, casserole dishes, hats, socks, canine collars, shirts and hoodies preserve the entrance door rolling at WillowZ. All that is a part of Baird and James coverage to fulfill the wants of shoppers.
“If they will consider what they want, likelihood is we will do it,” Baird mentioned.
Their Fb web page, Willowz Boutique and Graphic Design, is an efficient place to start out for contact data. Order places may be picked up from the shop without spending a dime, or supply prices depend upon the load of the outgoing package deal. Orders over $99 get free transport.
Emails to willowz.pratt@gmail.com are answered promptly, as are cellphone calls to 620-672-6300.
