WILKES-BARRE — After spending many years rushing around and working multiple jobs, Ayden and Kimberly Baird decided it was time for a change.
And the change turned out to be a positive one.
Ayden and Kimberly are the owners and operators of This Life Apparel at 238 Kidder St., Wilkes Barre, where they specialize in creating customized clothing for various purposes such as leisure, business, sports, parties, and more. Aside from a wide range of personalized clothing, they also produce items like drinkware, home decor, puzzles, banners, marketing materials, and much more.
“We received the keys at the beginning of June 2022, and by July 11, we had our grand opening,” Ayden said. “It has been an incredible journey for both of us. We have experienced significant growth since we started, and have had the pleasure of meeting many remarkable individuals along the way.”
Ayden and Kimberly mentioned that they established the business from scratch, with just a few printing supplies and an 8-foot by 8-foot room to work in.
“And now we are operating from a 2,000-square-foot building and expanding rapidly,” Ayden said.
Kimberly and Ayden’s story reflects perseverance, taking risks, and putting in hard work.
They met in 2010 while both working at Walmart.
“After leaving Walmart to escape the corporate environment and spend more time with family, we took on a few retail merchandising jobs,” Ayden said. “Shortly after that, we took custody of Kimberly’s younger brother and sister. We picked up additional jobs to ensure that our family was well taken care of, now that it had grown larger.”
The Bairds also have one child of their own.
Ayden mentioned that Kimberly used to point out that he needed some new shirts.
“I had proposed the idea of printing T-shirts for myself because I really needed new shirts but couldn't justify spending the money on them,” Ayden said. “So, we began researching apparel printing from that point.”
Ayden mentioned that he and Kimberly managed to save up the initial cost required to get started in no time.
“We set up a small area in our enclosed back porch and started experimenting with the equipment,” Ayden said. “We had an amazing support system of family and friends who wanted us to print for them, and from there it just grew and expanded to reach a wider audience (friends of friends, family friends, etc.). Before we knew it, we were printing several times a week.”
The Bairds eventually relocated their printing space to their bedroom to have more workspace.
“The word spread so fast that before we knew it, we started quitting some of our jobs to have enough time to fulfill orders,” Ayden said. “We decided that it was time to explore having a physical space to expand, as we were growing rapidly.”
Ayden and Kimberly mentioned that the fear of having significant expenses during a turbulent time in the world was real, so they waited, hoping for an opportunity.
And it did.
“Kimberly and I were taking our nightly walk and we noticed that the building up the street from where we lived was for rent,” Ayden said. “We felt this was definitely a sign — a physical location within walking distance from where we had been operating!”
Kimberly reached out to the landlord, and within 72 hours, they were finalizing their lease.
“It was the most nerve-wracking thing we have ever done, but simultaneously the most thrilling,” Ayden said.
Kimberly and Ayden stated that they hadn't received formal training in this business, but they had conducted extensive research and had many years of experience in retail management and operations.
Ayden expressed that they had received a lot of positive feedback about their products, which meant a lot to them. They take pleasure in providing the best shopping experience for their customers. Being in a facility has allowed them to expand their product range beyond just apparel.
Kimberly mentioned that This Life Apparel prints drinkware, wall decor, graphics for business storefronts and vehicles. She also has a wide variety of live plants. Additionally, they produce a large amount of marketing merchandise, and the range of items keeps increasing.
Kimberly also mentioned that they offer a great selection of pre-printed grab-and-go items in the store for those who are looking for a quick gift for someone or themselves.
The Bairds also mentioned their love for interacting with the local community. They organized a free spaghetti dinner, an annual free hot dog event the day before Mother’s Day, and constantly engage in giveaways and donate baskets.
Ayden highlighted that the biggest advantage for their customers is that they can customize everything.
Kimberly said that their customers have complete freedom to create exactly what they have in mind, and they can bring that idea to life for them. She assured them that if they can think it, they can make it.
Kimberly and Ayden expressed their gratitude for the chance to work with some incredible people and to be part of many special moments.
Ayden stated, “That’s what it is all about.”
This Life Apparel
Ayden and Kimberly Baird, owners
238 Kidder St., Wilkes Barre PA, 18702
Call: 570-763-9044
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thislifeapparel
