Loremans’ Celebrates 40 Years in Business

Situated in the Adirondack Mountains, Loreman’s, a decorating business that specializes in engraving, embroidery, and screen printing, marked 40 years of business in 2019. Throughout the past four decades, the business has grown from operating out of the trunk of the Loreman’s family car to two locations serving upstate-New York. 

Before starting the business, Donald Loreman Sr. was a captain in the Air Force. After being enlisted in the Vietnam war, Loreman became a senior master sergeant at a young age. He then went on to attend Michigan State before being commissioned as an Air Force officer. He started up the business following his retirement from the Air Force in 1979.

“We started in the trunk of our car doing retail store stops and consignment value racks,” states Thom Loreman, son of Loreman Sr. and operating partner of the business. “As a supply sergeant and contracting officer, my dad saw some poor-quality products being delivered in the form of printed, embroidered, and engraved items – he said, ‘There has to be a better way!’”

Not long after, the family moved the business to the basement of their home for some time before they grew out of that and moved to their present location in Keeseville, New York. Their second location, which opened several years later, has moved a number of times; from just outside the Plattsburgh Air Force base to downtown Plattsburgh, then uptown, but has since relocated back to downtown on a busy corner where it’s been for the past 15 years, according to Thom. 

While his father was the one to start the business, Thom found the love for engraving at a young age. After graduating high school, he went on to military college, but knew it wasn’t his calling. “I asked dad if I could return to the business and find me a spot,” Thom says. “He said to come on back, ‘But you must make your place.’” 

Thom did just that by helping acquire a retiring gentleman’s awards business in 1986, and they folded it into their array of offerings. Nowadays, Thom and his father remain in partnership with each other and are equipped with 15 experienced employees, consisting of family and friends. 

Over the years, the business has blossomed from its original offering of drag and spindle engraving to also offer laser engraving, sublimation, screen printing, embroidery, and much more. “We have to keep up to stay on top and have the best service and products to our loyal customers,” says Thom. In spite of that, it has been a challenge at times for the family to stay in business.

“I myself have seen three decades of leaders retire in our customer base,” he adds. “We have gone from brick-and-mortar to web-based and virtual selling – you have to be all for many, it’s the only way to survive.”

However, Loremans’ continues to grow and be successful in its local area and beyond. Looking into the future, the Loreman’s are embarking on a third location in Florida, where some of their family is located. 

“We have been active there for a few years now and business has grown down there over the last few years,” Thom explains. In addition, they plan to focus the business more on supporting local residents in New York.

In the business’s 40th year, Loremans’ was named the 2019 North Country Small Business of the Year. To celebrate that honor as well as the anniversary, they are planning a gala in the summer for customers.

For more information, visit www.loremans.com.