Windy City Apparel marks 22nd year with best performance since recession

Tom Carollo’s entrepreneurial streak surfaced early.

He was only 16 when his parents took out a loan and bought him equipment in 1977 that he could use to silk screen shirts in their Chicago basement. He parlayed that into a profitable business, selling his products to three sporting goods stores. He sold the business when he moved to the Bradenton area in 1989.

Carollo went to work for Team Edition, and then in 1995, he and his wife, Stacey, started their own business, Windy City Apparel, manufacturing a range of silk-screened and embroidered products, including towels, clothing, neckties and more for small businesses and large corporate chains.

Then, like with so many businesses, the Great Recession took the wind out of the sails of Windy City Apparel. The orders stopped coming for their products and the Carollos downsized the company.

To make ends meet, Tom Carollo started another company and Stacey Carollo found another job. Neither took a paycheck from Windy City for more than 18 months.

The Carollos nursed their company through the recession and then began rebuilding. The company now has a staff of eight working two shifts in a 5,000-square-foot building at 2331-A Whitfield Industrial Way in southern Manatee County.

“Our revenues grew more than 40 percent in the past year, our best year since the recession,” Stacey Carollo said.

“We are trying to be very conservative. Once you get stung by a bee, you try to avoid bees,” she said.

The Corallos are focused on growing their company with sales to small businesses, tradesmen, schools and parents.

Also, Windy City does a lot of contract for the resort market, Steve Carollo said.

The company has several employees who have been with the company for most of its 22-year history, and the Carollos want to make the work environment more comfortable for them.

They want to continue growing the company, manufacturing customized shirts, hats, promotional products, school shirts and team uniforms through networking, a strong internet presence and word of mouth with a focus on their products and reputation.

Windy City is a member of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Council.

For more information about Windy City Apparel, visit windycityapparel.net, or call 941-351-4205.

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 2:03 PM with the headline "Windy City Apparel marks 22nd year with best performance since recession."