This Tuesday Tallahassee company Clothesline celebrated their 35th anniversary with friends, family and their best customers. Guests were treated to music by Tallahassee native band Old Soul Revival and food catered by El Patron.
The show room was an open museum for patrons to tour where products are made, during the tour they were able to make their own T-shirt with a commemorative 35th anniversary reminiscent of the T.V. show Cheers design.
In 1981 David and his wife Debra Lachter decided to move to Tallahassee and give the city something it didn’t know it was missing. The business offered custom screen-printing, making it possible for guests to take a regular piece of apparel and make it their own.
The couple’s daughter Dana Lachter-Rivera runs the company alongside Robert Robertson the operations manager. Together the two hold on to the important values that have made the company a Tallahassee fixture.
“My dad was in this business in St. Pete and had friends in Tallahassee that let him know this was something the city didn’t have yet. A lot of our success is a testimony to my father, him keeping it a family-oriented business,” said Lachter-Rivera. “No matter who comes into our store we are consistent we give everyone the same quality and great customer service. “
Today the company offers printing, embroidery and vinyl, making it possible for anything to be customized.
Robert Robertson helps take care of all facets of the day-to-day tasks for clothesline. Robertson credits the evolution of the company as the key to their success.
“We are able to adapt with all the new trends that come in the community. We take the time to revamp and change things up, by adapting with the culture we can listen to our customers and accommodate them,” said Robertson.
Also in attendance was Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, showing his pride in a company originating in Tallahassee and still flourishing after more than three decades.
“As much as we celebrate the opening of new business and I’m often times invited to cut ribbons and welcome people into our community, it feels fantastic to be apart of a 35th anniversary for a company that has been resilient and figured it out even in the changing of times they have remained relevant,”said Mayor Gillum.
Their passion is clear in the care and attention Clothesline takes in every item they make for their customers. One of their first customers Charlie Stratton, P.A. one of Clotheline’s veteran customers summarized his customer service experience over the years as consistent today as his first order decades ago.
“Doesn’t matter if you get one shirt or a thousand the customer service is the same,” said Stratton.
Being involved in the community is very important to Clothesline for the past 5 years through their program Clothes for a Cause they have given back to the community by donating $500 in custom apparel to local charities in the big bend area. More than 50 nonprofits were nominated, this year the Early Learning Coalition was announced as the winner.