A New Venture for Old Hats

Jim Hoovens rang in 2009 with some serious concerns about his job. It was quickly obvious to him that T-shirt screen printer T.J. Sales Co. Inc., where he worked 15 years, was struggling to stay afloat.

"Benefits were cut, salaries were cut, hours were reduced, all to help save the company money and try to save it from foreclosure," said Hoovens, the former operations manager.

The foreclosure came down in November. Guaranty Bank purchased the company's property and equipment at 545 S. Union Ave. for $494,316, according to Greene County records, and Hoovens, nine other workers and business owner Timothy J. Loudis were out of jobs.

By Dec. 30, however, Hoovens and two former co-workers, print operator Shawn Meredith and graphic artist George Swope, were back working in the Union Avenue building. This time it was as employees of startup Wiseguys Screen Printing.

Scott Bottorf, owner of embroidery service Sapphire Mills LLC, 4311 S. Timbercreeek in Battlefield, purchased T.J. Sales' screen printing equipment from Guaranty Bank for an undisclosed amount and signed a 90-day lease on the property. T.J. Sales had been a contract client of Sapphire Mills, Hoovens said.

Armed with the equipment and connections with veteran staff members, Bottorf - and investor partners Jeff Salyers of Play It Again Sports and Brian Wilmsmeyer of Elite Promotions Inc. - formed Wiseguys Screen Printing under JBS Co.

"There was a staff that was experienced, and the opportunity to buy the equipment at the right price," Bottorf said, noting he'd been considering adding screen printing to Sapphire Mills' services.

Mike Mattson, executive vice president and chief lending officer at Guaranty Bank, said the Union Avenue building is under contract for sale to another, undisclosed party, which would assume the Wiseguys lease and negotiate an extension or move in when the lease expires.

Wiseguys would likely move to southwest Springfield, since Bottorf said he plans to split his time between the screen printing and embroidery businesses. He's looking for space to lease, but in three to five years, he would like to expand the Sapphire Mills building, which he owns, to bring both businesses under one roof, he said.

Bottorf said he expects the Wiseguys client base to be similar to that of Sapphire Mills, which consists primarily of contract work. He also hopes to pick up orders from former T.J. Sales clients.

Salyers, a co-owner of Play it Again Sports in Springfield, said the embroidery and screen printing he orders for groups such as school and Little League teams makes up approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of his business.

He's ordered embroidery work from Sapphire Mills for more than 10 years, he said, and ordered screen print work from T.J. Sales for nearly 15 years.

"We were in limbo there for a couple of months," Salyers said of T.J. Sales closure. "When (Bottorf) took over, we knew him and what he brings to the table."

Loudis declined to comment on the new business. He said he's been doing some consulting work, but is still looking for permanent employment.

Hoovens said he expected to one day be back in business with colleagues Meredith and Swope.

"In January, when basically all hell broke loose, the three employees began talking about what if. We had plans to open our own shop," Hoovens said. "We were able to supply the talent, Scott brought the financial stability, and we made it work."