In the March 2012 issue of HOW, we profiled Standard Deluxe in the Sidelines column. They’re a design and screen printing shop in Waverly, AL. The shop splits its time between client work — for everyone from Levi Strauss & Co. to Nonesuch Records — and a line of T-shirts, prints and bags (look for their booth in the resource center at HOW Design Live this year in Boston).
So how does owner Scott Peek find success in such a remote location? Here are three things we gleaned from our interview with him:
1. Be authentic As the saying goes, do what you love. It doesn’t take long to realize that Standard Deluxe focuses on screen-printing because Peek loves it. The same goes for the monthly music events he runs—they’re about passion instead of money. It’s also why he lives and works in the country.
2. Focus on quality It seems basic, but Peek’s reputation for high quality helps him draw clients from the Caribbean, Canada and across the United States. A couple designers from Charles S. Anderson Design in Minneapolis even came down to Waverly to print for a week with Peek. David Carson’s been to the shop, too. People will travel for something great.
3. Stay open to change Businesses and industries shift all the time. Being successful means rolling with those changes instead of fighting them. At one time, Standard Deluxe consisted of 10 people, but today it’s Peek and a couple of part-timers. For big jobs, he might hire on more help. He never knows who might call out of the blue with a juicy project.
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