Ease of access
Prior to choosing the Mill Plain location, Munizich said she and her employees spent about two years planning and researching where to move – even reaching out to fellow business professionals and clients.
“Ultimately, we felt visibility was important to us, ease of access (being close to Highway 14) and obviously we have a 3,900-employee hospital next door. That was definitely a major factor in our decision-making with this location.”
A competitive edge
Competing against larger, national workplace apparel companies, Hatler said the DRESScode advantage comes from the locally-owned company’s personal touch.
“The online or catalogue experience isn’t the same as what we care about, [which is] coming into the store, meeting staff that are experts in uniforms, getting you set up in a dressing room, making sure your kids are entertained and helping you figure out what you’re going to wear to work,” she said. “When you go to work you’ll enjoy what you’re wearing. It will be the right fit for you, the right fabric, it will stretch where you need it to – you don’t get that online.”
But it’s not just about having comfortable fitting clothes, Munizich added.
“[Wearing a uniform] gives employees a sense of professionalism,” she said. “It also identifies who you are to the people that you encounter. Security is an issue these days, and if all your employees look the same, you are more settled about who is coming in; it identifies what they do and you know they belong.”
With construction on the new location scheduled to wrap up next month, DRESScode plans to host a grand opening event on Saturday, August 10. Munizich said the entire community is welcome to attend.
“We don’t want to just be about uniforms. We want to be about the community,” she said. “We love these people and we want this company to have more of a community focus because we aren’t going anywhere. We’re going to be here.”
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