December 2022
Happy Holidays from the warm side of the heat press!
Well, look who sniffed their way back to the basement. It’s me, Boomer. Still the shop mascot, still grumpy, and still avoiding glitter like the plague. The sounds down here haven’t exactly quieted down. It’s starting to sound like a small factory. But I’ve gotten used to the embroidery needle’s hum. I may be 14, but I still know when someone’s sneaking in a new hoodie shipment.
First, big news. We hired someone. Her name’s Melissa, and she’s a real go-getter. She works hard, shows up on time, and brings me treats almost every day. Melissa’s a cheer coach and a cheer mom, which explains why she never stops moving and knows a ton of people. She’s brought a lot of great energy to Cougar Bowl Apparel.
With Melissa on board, CBA dove headfirst into glitter logos. I wasn’t thrilled about the sparkly stuff. I still have some stuck in my fur from October. But I have to admit, it looks sharp on a t-shirt. And if it helps bring in more orders, then sparkle away. We also got the business up and running on the Wix platform. I’m not sure what that means, but Chad says it’s like an online shop for humans.
Thanks to Melissa’s cheer world connections, we’ve added Palmyra Youth Cheer to the roster, and those girls mean business when it comes to bows and spirit wear. That led us to Palmyra High School Cheer. And not long after, we had ourselves a full-blown Palmyra Spirit Store, complete with a Varsity P hoodie that’s apparently a local fashion must-have. I’d wear one too, but I prefer a fleece-lined dog bed.
Fall was hockey-heavy. We’re still rolling with Cougs Puck Hockey, Ben’s high school hockey team, which Chad started before CBA was even official, but now we’re printing up a storm for their store. We picked up not one but two Lancaster-area teams, Manheim Township Hockey and Hempfield Hockey. And we even landed our first college team, Mercyhurst Men’s Lacrosse, thanks to a referral from a hockey family. Who knew Chad’s rinkside small talk would lead to so many t-shirts?
We also worked with Paramount Gymnastics and even the Palmyra Fire Company this November. Chad had to learn how to sew on patches for their work shirts and let me tell you, I haven’t seen him that stressed since he tried to give me a haircut during COVID.
Lastly, I noticed Liz running the presses for the Northside school shirts. Apparently, Chad’s been benched with some appendix issues. I thought he just wanted more time to watch football, but I guess it’s a real thing.
Let’s just say, we’ve had our paws in a few good causes. I don’t think Chad is going to make any money at this shirt thing as I see him giving away more than he sells. Between shirts for the elementary school, golf towels for baseball and lacrosse, and helping his new cheer friends, I fear Liz will have to switch me to Alpo.
Catch you next time. I’ll be under the ping pong table, guarding the box of Sherpa-lined quarter zips like it’s a pile of bacon.
Hope your holiday’s cozier than my spot by the heat press,
Boomer 🐾