Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaina Lamley.
Hi Elaina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Married my husband in 1999, We raised our 2 sons in Excelsior Springs. I was a stay at home mom and started my own personal training company from 2009-2019. Retired from training and teaching group exercise classes in Dec 2020. I also worked for our local Chamber of Commerce in Excelsior Springs from 2016 to 2021 and it was during a Chamber event when I learned that the owner of the local alterations shop was looking to retire and sell her business. Knowing that it was a staple of the community and a successful business, I met with her and decided to leave the Chamber and purchase the business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was my only obstacle for the most part. Knowing we were just coming off of covid and unsure of what the future economy was going to look like, I drug my heals a little bit at first. Once all the paperwork was complete and we got into the summer months, that’s when things really started to come together. I began focusing on my vision for the business and where we were going to go and grow. After the first year, I knew we needed a larger space, as we had outgrown the current location. We looked at several new spaces in surrounding towns but really wanted to stay in Excelsior Springs if at all possible. And that is where my patience paid off.
We’ve been impressed with Alterations & Custom Sewing & ES Tactical, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a two-part business. Alterations & Custom Sewing: We are an alterations shop that specializes in making your clothes fit you so that you look and feel your best. Most individuals have issues with their jeans/pants where they are either too long and need to be shortened or they gap in the waist and we need to tighten that up so that they fit better. Shirts sleeves are sometimes too long and we hem them to your specific length. We tailor suits, formal gowns, wedding gowns, you name it. We replace zippers in your favorite coats, jackets, jeans, etc. We make memory blankets, memory pillows and memory bears out of your loved ones clothing or out of your favorite t-shirts. We offer tuxedo and suit rentals/purchases for your special day. We serve the surrounding 6+ high school communities with having their letter jackets and chenille patches in stock or available to order.
The other part of the business is the fire department and law enforcement uniform/duty gear store; ES Tactical. We provide uniforms and gear for over 50 different departments. We carry quite a bit of inventory so that they can get what they need as soon as possible. We sew their patches onto their uniforms and embroider logo’s and names on site as needed. This side of the business has grown tremendously since I purchased the shop in 2021.
Besides the wide range of things we do, what also sets us apart is that we have a full staff of sewists, who together have over 35 years of experience.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Our team of sewists deserve most of the credit. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to provide many of the services we have. These women love their work and are committed to having our customers look and feel their best in the clothing brought in to be altered.
Our customers also deserve a lot of credit. They trust us with their special items and keep coming back with new garments. They are our cheerleaders in the community when someone asks where to go to get something tailored. We have gotten to know many of our customers and consider them part of our alterations and tactical family.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.AltCustSew.com and www.ESTacticalShop.com
- Instagram: @alterationscustomsewing @estacticalshop
- Facebook: @AltCustSew @estacticalshop
