After Dale’s Clothing closed its doors on Main Street last month, there was concern on what would become of the successful screen-printing and embroidery businesses it built over the years.
By BRYCE MARTIN
Pioneer Editor | [email protected]
After Dale’s Clothing closed its doors on Main Street last month, there was concern on what would become of the successful screen-printing and embroidery businesses it built over the years.
That concern was short-lived, however, after a Bowman woman saw an opportunity to expand upon her love for design and purchased the businesses.
“I was ready for a bigger scale,” said Sarah Wolbaum, who owns and operates Inkd Apparel by Sarah out of her Bowman County home. “I love design and being around people.”
Wolbaum has been busy ever since transforming a space tucked away in her basement to house a studio where she will complete most of the design and printing work.
While she has yet to take the leap of opening an “official” retail space in Bowman — she said perhaps that would happen in the future — Wolbaum is able to deliver orders right to the customer’s doorstep, or anywhere they specify. If preferred, customers are also welcome to visit Wolbaum in her soon-to-finished studio inside her home, located just east of Pifer’s Auction & Realty on Highway 85.
Being flexible is important when it comes to customizing apparel, something Wolbaum said she understands. The ability to cater to any of the consumer’s needs is one of her main focuses. Another focus is providing high quality merchandise.
“Excellent customer service is important,” she said, which she strives for much like Dave and Tana Smolnikar did while they ran Dale’s Clothing.
A great amount of dedication and determination has been put into Inkd Apparel, with Wolbaum going as far as leaving her position as activities director at the Southwest Healthcare Long-Term Care, a job she held for 10 years. Her last day is at the end of August.
“I didn’t feel I could do both jobs effectively,” Wolbaum explained. So it was decided that the apparel business would become her full-time job, with a lot to keep her preoccupied.
One of the biggest clients for Dale’s was Bowman County Schools. They provided the majority of designing and printing of uniforms and gear for athletics and more. Wolbaum said she hopes to continue that tradition.
When she purchased the business from Dale’s, she was given the extensive collection of logos and data files for the previous design work allowing her to effectively pick up where Dale’s left off.
With the transfer printing performed directly by Wolbaum, she decided to partner with an already established business for embroidery orders. She serves as the local contact person for that business, a move to ensure Bowman didn’t lose the trade.
It has already been a busy summer of orders for Wolbaum; taking on her first large order for a Bowman County Fair event in July as well as printing the shirts for the Bowman Area Chamber of Commerce’s Summerfest.
Though her staff merely consists of herself, and her embroidery partner, she indicated high order volumes aren’t a concern, though the work is a far cry from how she initially began her first business, Crimson Patch Designs, prior to taking on Dale’s Clothing’s business. At that point it could be reasonably described as a hobby — she sewed and made hats and mittens for occasional customers.
Now Wolbaum said she is ready to accept the challenge of working with a larger inventory and a wealth of clients.
Embroidery orders, which are sent off for completion, are able to get turned around to the customer in as quickly as two weeks. Screen-printing is even faster. Special orders take longer.
Printing can be done on virtually anything including shirts, pants, pullovers, even chairs and bags. She utilizes a variety of fabrics to offer customers a wide selection.
“This is a big deal,” Wolbaum said as she inspected her large screen printer that rests on a counter in her studio. With the avid use of Dale’s Clothing’s customization services in the past, it struck Wolbaum that there remained a need for such a business in the community. She’s one of three total businesses in the area that are now helping to carry on custom printing in Bowman County.
While she is working anxiously to finish her studio, alongside her husband, Justin, she still has four young boys to raise, but that’s not stopping Wolbaum’s ambition to expand her business.
“Sometimes the boys help,” she said with a grin, with them helping to inspire ideas and serving as an occasional sounding board for brainstorming.
She said she is grateful for more time at home to spend with her family. Her gratitude also extends to the community, she said, as so many have been supportive of her decision to ensure, despite the closing of Dale’s Clothing, that the ability to print and customize apparel remained local.
Inkd Apparel by Sarah can be contacted with questions or to place an order by calling 701-206-1031 or by email at [email protected].
