The Shirtery specializes in custom apparel

Published 1:22 pm Monday, March 25, 2024

Tim Kimerling and his wife Rhonda made the journey to Milledgeville late last year, but they are already making it feel like home. 

They came from Southeast Michigan, where Tim had just recently finished off a 39-year career JP Morgan Chase Bank in Detroit. 

According to Tim, Rhonda has been an entrepreneur for quite some time. They considered the world of custom apparel to be a natural fit with their respective skill sets. 

“We both thrive with attention to detail and customer service,” he said. 

The duo strives to take the extra step when it comes to working with clients, brainstorming and collaborating ideas. In Kimerling’s words, he and Rhonda are far from just folks that take orders. Talways have their clients’ best interests at heart. 

That informed their decision to ultimately open their business, The Shirtery, in 1976. The original storefront was located in Michigan. Tim said they became well known in the area. Things took a turn when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and their walk-in traffic began disappearing as customers shifted their attention to online markets.

That prompted an interesting adjustment from Tim and Rhonda, as they decided to take The Shirtery fully online (with the storefront closing in 2022). The pair shifted their focus to small businesses, schools and organizations. It gave Tim the opportunity to incorporate his cold calling experience from calling on hundreds of businesses during his time working in banking into his new role. Meanwhile, Rhonda primarily handles everything from office duties, employee management, and she oversees production. 

After the closure of the storefront in Michigan, their inventory and equipment were relocated to a workshop next to their home residence in Milledgeville. They now manage both states from 190 Pine Cone Road NW. 

So why did they make the move after closing the storefront? It made sense when considering Rhonda grew up in Henry County. She and Tim dreamed of moving south following his retirement. 

“Decades of shoveling snow along with battling cold and ice wears on you,” Tim said. 

The Shirtery primarily focuses on customizing all types of clothing apparel with logos (such as businesses, schools and organizations) through embroidery, screenprinting, direct to garment and heat transfers. This does not mean they just do T-shirts, polos and dress shirts; they also dabble in items like hoodies and hats to name a few. 

On their website, they offer a custom design process where clients can upload photos and add text and artwork to whatever product they need. Tim and Rhonda also work with an artist and digitizer to fine tune logos. The entire design process, Tim said, is important when it comes to producing quality products. 

They also offer a unique and more personalized approach when it comes to custom apparel. 

“I carry a sample rack on wheels to business visits and will show you a broad range of clothing so you can touch and feel what you’re buying,” he said. “Name brand apparel like Nike, Adidas as well as off brands that you may not be aware of. Samples definitely make the process better for our customers.”

It means a lot to Tim and Rhonda to have The Shirtery join the Milledgeville-Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. 

“We wanted an organization with deep ties to the community, events, networking and business training,” Tim said, adding that they “will be active members and will volunteer and give back to our new community.” 

Seeing the reactions on customers’ faces after getting their orders is what Tim and Rhonda enjoy most about running The Shirtery. 

“We take great pride in helping clients represent their brands and businesses,” Tim said. 

The Shirtery is open on Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

The store can be reached by email at info@theshirtery.com, online at https://theshirtery.com/ or by calling Tim directly at 313-550-8950.