Pre-Sewn USA Flag Patch on a Made in USA Shirt

Sometimes the best solution is one that satisfies two needs.

One need is for sports officials in the United States to sometimes be required to have a USA flag patch placed on their referee or umpire shirt where we do not have those customization features in-house. Typically you order, we ship. There is no customization to slow anything down. We have been searching for some ways to get around this lack of customization in our own way.

One way is related to USA flag patches on shirts. On a trial run, we are pre-sewing on Ump-Attire Ultimate V-neck Referee Shirts for basketball and keeping them as an in-stock item and not made-to-order. In that way, you order, we ship. There is no customization to slow your order down. Did I just say that already?

Anyway, if this goes well, we'll do this on some other items. So if you like this idea of pre-sewn patches on shirts, support it with your purchase.

The neat thing is that we are planning on doing this only on items that are "Made in the USA". Makes sense right. You are a patriotic individual and wear your USA flag with pride. You want the shirt to be made here although most manufacturers of referee apparel are moving to overseas sources. Go ahead, look in your closet. What does the tag say where your shirt or pants were made?

For us, we make a point of using US manufacturers where we can. Not only does it provide faster turnaround, which means we are most likely to have it in stock longer, it also provides us with a sense of pride in helping to employ people who need work, especially in a state, Kentucky, with one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country.

Anyway, if this goes well, we'll do this on some other items. So if you like this idea of having your USA flag patch on your "Made in the USA" shirt, support it with your purchase. There I go again being redundant. Perhaps, some things are best said more than once. In that spirit, please share this article with others who might be interested.

Our Move: Before and After Photos (and Thoughts)

We are excited about the positives our space will bring to you including the ability to carry more products.

We are also excited that we are more accessible and easier to find being a stone's throw or two from two Interstates and in closer proximity to more umpires and officials in the Kentuckiana area (and beyond, customers have stopped by from as far as Florida and Canada).

I'm perhaps most excited my crew held off on their mutiny conspiracy. Our growing staff and inventory, truly left us feeling like sardines at times in our old 3,750 square foot space, and they have been asking me to consider a move for about a year and a half now.

Here are some before and after pics:


Before from outside


After from outside


Before inside warehouse


After warehouse 1


After warehouse 2


From Red to Orange (A)

More Best Equipment Awards for Second Year

The Midwest Umpire Blog, an umpire equipment blog and reviews site has just handed out its best umpire products of the year for the second year in a row.

Out of 9 categories, we had within our selection 7 products, 5 more than any main competitor.

This is an increase from last year where we had 6 winners and the most of any main competitor was 3. I'd like to think this is a reflection of our continuing desire to have the highest quality, most innovative selection around.

2010 Winners in our selection include:

• Best Traditional Mask
  Diamond Silver Featherweight Umpire Mask
  And we are the only one to have it it with a cleaner logo in the middle of the padding.
  
  
• Best Helmet
  All-Star System 7 MVP4000-SL Umpire Helmet
  A new addition at only 3 ounces heavier than the much more expensive version with titanium frame.
  
  
• Best Chest Protector
  Wilson West Vest Gold Umpire Chest Protector
  
  
• Best Leg Guards
  Champro Pro-Plus Low Profile Umpire Leg Guards
  A new addition is the lowest profile of any triple knee shin guards.
  
  
• Best Accessory
  Diamond Ultimate Umpire Equipment Gear Bag
  
  
• Best Shirt
  Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt
  Winner for the second year in a row, the only item to do that.
  
  
• Best Shoes
  Reebok Field Magistrate Plate Shoes

Read the full post of 2010 UMPY winners here.

Details on November 24th Move

Have you have ever needed to do something but put it off until you just absolutely couldn't hold off any longer? Well, that's been the story with our increasingly smaller office and warehouse space that we have had for 4 and 1/2 years. Well, it seems like it has been shrinking over the years.

When we moved in in 2006, we had 1 person for each of our 2 offices and had more open warehouse space, it seemed, than space for stock. Now those 2 offices contain 5 executive and customer service staff. We are all pretty close here, but not sure if we want to get any closer than that.

With each time the warehouse started busting at the seams, we have managed to successfully re-arrange things, moved up with more shelving and made the most out of every little nook and cranny we could find...even moved in additional, temporary storage.

But now in order to maintain our growth, there are no more tricks up our sleeves in the warehouse and no more room to add those two additional marketing and/or customer service staff I've been wanting.

So it's official: We are moving! Here are some FAQs regarding our move?

When are you moving?
Our move date is Wednesday, November 24th the day before Thanksgiving.

Will you be down during your move?
Our website will remain up and active but we will not process orders, take phone calls, respond to e-mails or receive walk-in customers on the day of the move. Consider it that we're taking one additional day off this year for Thanksgiving.

Do you expect any more down time?
No, we considered making it a no down time move (e.g. still take calls and/or send out orders in the morning only), but I thought we should build in a day (and a day only) to make our move as easy as possible on staff. We will take our normal 2 days for Thanksgiving and then be fully operational the following Monday, the 29th.

Where are you moving to?
Well, we are still technically going to be a Louisville company and no, we are not moving to the West Coast as some of you have requested. But thanks for the offer. We are moving less than 7 miles closer to Louisville from where we are just outside Louisville. The address is 3600 Chamberlain Lane, Ste 108-110. Here is a pic of the front of the building:



How do I get there?
Well, the best thing besides having double the office and inventory space is its ease of getting to. It's basically right off of the Gene Snyder Parkway (just down from I-71). Take the Westport Rd/Chamberlain Exit and take a right onto Chamberlain then a right into the Jefferson Trade Center. Take the second right into the parking lot. Look for Ste 108-110 (on the door). A sign is on order and hopefully will be available soon. See a good overhead shot thanks to Google. I think the local guys are going to love this location.



Are there any changes planned for your new space?
Basically no. The website is not changing. Our phone numbers will remain the same. And we will have the same staff and same great service. The only noticeable difference will be a larger dressing room and more room to breath for you local guys.

Any more questions, please let me know.