Uniform shop a fast-paced affair

Uniform shop a fast-paced affair



The air-conditioning wasn’t working. The thermostat registered 84 degrees, then 87 degrees. It kept climbing.



Beads of sweat were forming on John Anton’s face in early June as he put together cubes out of some of the 1,300 modular black wire squares he had purchased. He planned to use the cubes as display units in his new school-uniform store.



The store was due to open in less than two weeks. It was to be open only two months.



Anton, whose Tempe-based T-shirt and promotional business, Anton Sport, has served Valley customers for 25 years, started selling school uniforms a year ago, predominantly to charter schools. Because the business is seasonal, he came up with a new business model: a pop-up or temporary store that would be open only when sales are brisk. He also wanted another store that would be more convenient to customers in the north Valley and West Valley.



“It’s a three-month business,” he said. July is the busiest month, as parents are racing to buy back-to-school gear, he said. “But it’s a lot of preparation.”



With the help of business acquaintances, Anton secured a three-month lease on a space between a cellular store and an animal hospital in a strip mall at 35th Avenue and Bell Road in Phoenix. The store, Anton Uniforms, opened Saturday.



At first, the businessman considered setting up shop in a mall, but he was deterred by the long work hours. The strip-mall location had numerous advantages: He could set his own hours and it was near his customers in the West and north Valley. Plus, it already had flooring and a bathroom for customers.



But it lacked the basics, among them fixtures, a front counter,Welcome to columbiajacket outlet online store and buy latest Cheap Louis Vuitton handbags. cash register, displays and dressing rooms.



Instead of buying expensive furnishings, Anton opted for items that were portable and could be easily assembled — and taken apart — by himself, his family and his employees. In addition to the cubes, he bought a do-it-yourself kit for a front counter. Not finding other portable options, he purchased two beach cabanas to serve as dressing rooms. He ordered shirts, pants, pleated skirts and school logos from his supplier. He arranged for alarm and security-camera systems, an Internet connection and phone service.



“Everyone offered a much better deal if I signed a three-month contract,” Anton said. “But I said, ‘Let’s go month-to-month.’ ”



For several weeks, the hallways of his Tempe store, which has a permanent uniform shop serving Phoenix, Scottsdale and the East Valley, were filled with boxes waiting to be transported to the temporary location.



Anton figured the setup would take about two weeks.



He hadn’t counted on several delays.



Anton, who never had to wear a school uniform, got into the business as a fluke.



“My wife sent me to a uniform store to get two shirts for our son,” he recalled. He was chagrined at the prices and believed, after years working with garment manufacturers, that he could sell them for less.



He flew around the country, interviewing owners of other uniform stores to get a handle on the business. He learned that it’s easy to overstock certain items and that plaid uniforms can be more problematic than solid-color ones.



“It wasn’t hard to find the manufacturer,” he said. “What was hard was to convince them to open up with another dealer.”



There already were at least four Valley uniform companies. Nevertheless,The latest trends and best brands in discountskirts, sandals, boots, and more. Anton convinced the manufacturer, A+ Uniform Co., that if he didn’t buy from them, he would buy from someone else.



Within seven months, Anton had opened a uniform store in the former conference room at Anton Sport, 905 N. Scottsdale Road.



“I approached six schools, trying to get three. I got eight,” he said.



The low overhead — he already owned the space — has enabled him to keep his prices down, he said. It’s not unusual for families to spend $400 or more annually on school uniforms.Fast shipping and best prices on ladyhandbag. Buy Now!



Now, a year later, Anton Uniform works with 16 schools.



The school-uniform business is growing, as more charter, private and even public schools establish policies.



Here in the Valley, it’s common to find several, but not all,With the Bari Jay collection you'll be able to wear your monclerjackets again! schools within a district requiring uniforms. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, 19 percent of all public schools had a uniform policy during the 2009-10 school year, the latest figures available. Ten years earlier, only 12 percent required uniforms.



There are numerous pros and cons to wearing student uniforms. While opponents say that uniforms take away a child’s sense of personal expression, most parents like the cost and that they aren’t as pressured by their kids to buy trendy clothes.



“It takes the drama out of dressing,” said Amy Gallo, whose three daughters wear uniforms to schools in Scottsdale.This outerwear features in great Taffeta. “It’s a much cheaper endeavor than regular clothes.”



Dawn Richter, whose two sons attend Phoenix charter schools that require uniforms, agreed, saying, “The morning routine is very simple. They know what to wear and get it done.”



Jason Turner, whose two daughters wear uniforms to Scottsdale schools, said that wearing uniforms as a child is like wearing work clothes as an adult.



“You’re in the mode for studying,” he said.



Many schools keep their dress codes simple by allowing boys and girls to wear tan or navy pants, shorts, skirts or jumpers and white shirts or polos that can be purchased at a variety of stores, including Target, Walmart and Old Navy.



Others require that students wear specific clothing adorned with school crests or logos.



That’s where Anton and the other companies, including Dennis Uniform in Scottsdale and Simply School Uniforms in Tempe, come in.

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