A Legacy of Screen Printing Success

June 11, 2008

Legacy Ink's owners pride themselves on original artwork, as well as offering a variety of services, including screen printing, embroidery and Web site development, to their customers.

When three friends from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, Tenn., decided to form a decorated apparel business, they wanted to try something innovative. Pete Patel, Troy Cheairs and Semaj Thomas, all MTSU graduates, formed Legacy Ink Design in Murfreesboro to offer screen printing, embroidery, air brush, graphic design and even Web site development for customers.

With 10 years of decorated apparel experience among them, the group has been in business for a year. And as a small business, each co-owner wears several different hats. While Cheairs focuses primarily on sales, Patel on day-to-day functions and Thomas on operations, each has a hand in each part of the business. "There's not a day that I don't do a little bit of everything," says Cheairs. Legacy Ink owns two six-color manual Workhorse screen printing presses and two four-head Tajima embroidery machines. It also offers on-site screen printing for parties or events with a mobile screen printer. "We often print themed T-shirts at events for guests to take home," says Cheairs.

Typical orders for custom-printed decorated apparel are only part of the business. The three also run a division of Legacy Ink called Lovers and Fighters, a company that makes hip, trendy T-shirts for retail sale. The line is sold at a few stores around the Nashville, Tenn., area, and it's rapidly expanding. The company also is planning to launch another line called Ecologic, which will feature eco-friendly, green products such as water-based inks and organic cotton. Cheairs notes, however, that Ecologic is still in its developmental stages.

One goal the three set for their Legacy Ink business endeavors was to be a haven for artists. "An emerging artist might have only a few ideas," says Cheairs. "We want to help them develop a niche market through T-shirts and custom apparel." Their long-term goal is solely to sell their own designs in the retail market. "Right now we have limited time to work on our own stuff because of customers' orders," says Cheairs. No matter what, the diversity of their business will assure that their legacy will live on. — Liz Aull

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