Greetings, Friends!
As D2 continues to provide me with the good fortune of penning a Quarterly Update, the faster it seems each Quarter cruises right by! Wow. Even so, I’m sure I’m not the only person who is happy to be on the front side of Spring and into full swing with Daylight Savings… After all, I’m one of “those guys.” More specifically, I’m still that person who can go for his run or walk, while the pollen is .05” thick on anything that is outdoors and the azaleas, dogwoods, and native crabapple trees are in full bloom.
Look, Mom, no allergies!
😊
And as April has long been my favorite month in Atlanta, here are some of the reasons why I’m especially excited to get Q2 started this year:
Big Peach Premium Screenprinting & Embroidery
If “Necessity” is the Mother of Invention, “Frustration” must be a very closely-related cousin… Said differently, Big Peach has had a growing problem over the last couple of years with our BPRC Branded business. For reasons that are both understandable and predictably connected to the pandemic, we’ve been the figurative dog getting wagged by its tail… We had amazing products to embellish – – but could not easily or regularly find service providers who could always screenprint those goods with the required quality or timeliness. Imagine one of our best-ever designs intended to bring holiday gift-giving magic to relationships everywhere… with a November 1st drop date – – that gets delivered on January 15th, instead. Ugggh.
As such, we set out to find a local services partner with whom we could really partner. Our investigation led us to Artistic Designs in Acworth, GA. It was an operation that had 25+ years of experience and an ironclad commitment to its community. And after getting to know the Founder and Team at Artistic Designs, LLC (AD), we collectively concluded we should be working together. This, ultimately, led to Big Peach acquiring AD in January and merging the organization into our family over the last couple of months. Now, Big Peach Premium Screen Printing & Embroidery | Big Peach (bigpeachrunningco.com) manages all of our own Trademark Goods business, as it continues to serve other clients both longstanding and brand new.
Among many cool considerations and an immense number of learning opportunities for us with this endeavor, the best part for me with this newly presented opportunity is to now work with my son! As proud parents everywhere can appreciate, it is a thrill to introduce Campbell as our Manager, Customer Satisfaction & Business Development. If you ever need a quote for screenprinted or embroidered tees, hats, towels, pajamas or any other item, please send him a note at Campbell@BigPeachRunningCo.com or call 770.974.5310. And, of course, please visit our stores and website regularly to see all the fun things we’re doing with our Peachy, RUNATL and RunGeorgia collections!
Today Is Like Yesterday Happening Tomorrow
If there is a single part of the active lifestyle that has been the wildest rollercoaster ride to observe, it has been the return of local running races. For understandable reasons, this element of pre-pandemic “normal life” did not resume in the same meaningful way as the marketplace was claiming fitness as a priority for the future. For sure, some local races have bucked the trend of fewer registrants… but in many instances, it is a lower number of persons at the Start Line colliding with a higher cost for almost every service that is part of the overall experience. In February, we hosted a Race Directors’ Forum to learn more, see how we might assist and attempt to reduce our own blurriness with some of the results in 2022 that surprised us. It was so good! And, man, these men and women who produce these events are both bastions of inspiration AND pillars of perseverance!
These events matter to the local economy AND to countless non-profit organizations that are doing incredible work for deserving citizens and causes everywhere. I have too many favorites to list them all… but our website does not have that challenge. Atlanta Running Races Calendar | Big Peach Running Co. is an all-encompassing link that will get both your mind and body racing (literally and figuratively!) with what might be next for you. And whether you’re new to walking or running – – or a seasoned (grizzled?) veteran – – I can only encourage you to join the fun and contribute to one of the most longstanding reasons Atlanta is (as our friends at Atlanta Track Club say) “Running City USA!” Whether as a participant or as a volunteer, your efforts will be rewarded!
The Training Wheels Are Off!
With comments from our Guests as to how they were so beautifully mixing up their time outside with running or walking AND riding a bicycle on the Atlanta area’s ever-growing network of pathways, trails and dedicated bicycle lanes, we launched our Big Peach Ride + Run concept in 2021 in Brookhaven. We’ve now expanded such to Midtown! In addition, we now have a Service Department in each location and have various bikes arriving for Spring that fit every use (family, commuter, mountain, elite training, gravel, etc.). Even most of my closest friends did not know that I moved to Atlanta (30 years ago!) as a cyclist, before falling in love with running… To have this integrated inventory in Brookhaven and Midtown is a dream! Even if only as a tour of cool ways to spend time outdoors in The Capital of the South, please visit these stores when you’re in the area. And, of course, if we can assist with any of your bicycling needs or whims, we pledge the same service and satisfaction you’ve deservedly come to expect from us with our footwear and pedestrian-active gear!
So, yes, it may be a month forthcoming of showers to ready our May flowers… BUT April is going to be AWESOME! I know this because the opportunity to participate in this business, work with our amazing and talented Team at Big Peach and have occasions to serve you and this community makes every month – – in fact, it makes every day (!!) – – that way.
Even if I do like some months more than others. 😉
For all of us, it is true: Our Best Miles Are Just Ahead!
BIG love,
Mike
