NORWICH – When the owners of The Label Gallery, Chris and Anna Ulatowski, purchased the Gee Wilikers Kids Clothing building on Lee Avenue, they knew it was going to take a lot of work to renovate. However, with the help of HGH Construction, after only five months, the Ulatowskis were able to move from the building they were renting on State Street to the new Lee Avenue location.
The Label Gallery has been locally owned and operated in Norwich for almost 14 years. The business, which prints labels and other materials for retailers and local merchants, has been growing at a steady rate – 15 percent in 2005 and 20 percent so far this year.
“We’re only limited by the employee base,” Chris said. He kept on two employees who previously worked at Gee Wilikers and plans to hire three to five more as soon as possible. He explained his difficulty finding employees with a good work ethic. No experience is necessary, because Chris and Anna personally train new employees. They promote from within, and most of their supervisors and sales representatives started in minimum wage positions.
The Ulatowskis are also in the process of negotiating prices for additional equipment. The new building has room for at least three more printing presses.
The company’s founders have both been in the printing business for over 20 years and the customers they have are loyal. “We have had the same customers for 20 years,” Chris said. According to Anna, business has been good for the Ulatowskis. They have even had to turn it away on some occasions.
The process of renovating the building is still in its early stages. Chris and Anna began full operation out of the new Lee Avenue location on this week. The Ulatowskis did what needed to be done to complete the move, but more work is still needed.
“We did enough to get in,” Chris said. “It was an empty shell. The whole building is new.” He explained the previous occupants of the building only made use of a small portion of the space; the rest was left empty. The building is extremely large and so far only the first floor has been completed, but the Ulatowskis have already invested about $750,000 in the project.
“We wanted to renovate the building back to the way it used to be,” Chris said. In their attempts to do so, they had to put a new roof on the building, replace all of the windows and strip the electrical work, the heating and the air conditioning units. The only thing they have changed from the building’s original design is the entrance. The Ulatowskis thought it would be easier to have an entrance directly in front of the parking lot, rather than to have to go around to the side entrance.
Chris and Anna have a five to seven year plan to complete the renovation. The second floor is empty for the time being, however the Ulatowskis plan to renovate this portion of the building over the next few years and may rent it out.
“It would be great for a dance studio or karate,” Anna said of the wide open space.
The Ulatowskis previously owned Atlantic Coast Limousine Service and a silk screening business, but they are currently focusing exclusively on The Label Gallery.