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32 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, January 3, 1990 Young Entrepreneur Business student brushes w By Kelly Storry Four years ago Brent Smith, a Port oy native, started air brushing. Today it is his sum- mer job, and supplies the in- come that puts him through business school. Twenty-one year old Mr. Smith, airbrushes t-shirts, that have hung in Port Perry, Oshawa, Fenelon Falls, Wasa- ga Beach, and London, for the- public to buy. What may have started . Mr. Smith in this direction was a nine foot high, 90 foot long mu- ral, he designed and painted for 100 hours during his high school years. Another factor may have been that some friends were painting t-shirts, and he figured if they could do it, socould he. During his first summer af- ter high school Mr. Smith made over 120 t-shirts, featuring de- signs of almost any nature. "I was doing boats, cars skateboards, and even people's dogs on shirts," he said. One reason he began his own business was his plan to attend business school, and Western University looked highly on students who had started their own business. In his first year when apply- ing for a business venture loan he said he realized later he had undercharged for the t-shirts, overestimated his capacity, and underestimated how long the work would take. Mr. Smith has sold alot of his shirts on consignment in many stores including South Pacific, Gilligans, and Images in Port Perry. The main problem he faced when he began was that he started at the wrong time. His shirts were not ready until af- ter stores had already pur- chased their next summers line of clothing. "You have to start designs early for the next year. Stores buy in September for the fol- lowing summer, they order ear- y. In his second summer he re- alized that he needed a time saving device. ' This came in the form of "silk screening", a method in which a design can be trans- formed onto many. shirts, dis- pensing with the chore of de- signing each separately. What had taken him 45 minutes to do, now was cut to three or four minutes. In his second summer he made 400 shirts, including sev- en designs of hisown. This was the year he started on the Sport Grover shirt, which initially was directed to- ward the younger crowd. What he found startling was the t- shirt sold most to those 18-34 years of age. This design be- came very popular, but due to a copyright scare he had to dis- continue this design. "What started out as a shirt directed at the kids turned into a strange attraction to Grover by the older people," he said. He feels his best time for working is at festival situa- tions. He has painted down- town Port Perry during Festi- val Days, in Lindsay during homecoming, and also at Gore- ski's Marina, and Wasaga Beach in "Surf Shops". "I seem to do well on sight, I do custom shirts, and have a rack of my shirts there as well to sell. I have at times had 40- 50 people standing watching &n Fashion SPECIALIZING IN LADIES AFFORDABLE FASHIONS Hours: Mon. to Sat. 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM; Fri. to 8 PM. PORT PERRY PLAZA 2865-0129 gtonemoor 399 Queen St. 4 Care gett * * * * * " oF Port Perry, Ont. Stonemoor provides a Child Enrichment Program for children 18 months to 6 years. Open year-round from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM Full and 1/2 Days available. Professional Trained Staff. Nutritious Hot Lunches & Snacks. Stimulating and Adventurous Outdoor Play Areas. For further information phone ... 985-0800 + » + o + » » Specializing in Early Childhood Education « + + + « + » Ladies .. OPPORTUNITIES -- for -- FULFILLMENT & PERSONAL GROWTH | . Join our Chorus -- call -- Debbie 852-6350; Arlene 640-8276; MONDAY NIGHTS at 7:16 PM UXBRIDGE MUSIC HALL A my work. When one person stops to watch, others will fol- low suit. I think people like the fact that I am doing a shirt right there, and they can have whatever the of their own," he said. Mr. Smith had many prob- lems with deliveries last year, and with suppliers. He feels to be a success one must have good suppliers. "If you do not have the sup- plies, you can't work. Nobody cares why you don't have them, just that you don't. I found last ear that United Parcel Service s the entrepreneurs best friend," he said. He also has enlisted a Port Perry business, Pineridge Sports to do the printing of his shirts. Last summer went very well. He produced 600 of his own t- shirts, and 300 for other busi- nesses in the form of promotion- al t-shirts. This is the direction he would like to continue this summer. He stated he would like to stretch out a little more. To do advertising t-shirts for stores, bars, and sports teams. It is guaranteed money that way, . and he is constantly designing "new logos, which relieves the monotonous job of doing the same shirt over and over again. Also this summer he would like to design a new line direct- ed at the 20 and older age group, entitled the "Serenghet- ti Sundown". These will be de- signs of huge sundowns, of the last remaining plains in Africa. The scenery will be seen through the eyes of the large game that run wild, and what lies ahead of them. This year he would like to make $10,000 to help pay for his schooling. His goal this yearis to get out want on a shirt Brent Smith displays some of his artistic airbrushing ith success | N 3 work. He has been airbrushing t-shirts for four years, and his self-started business Is continuing to fiourish. earlier and find more stores to sell his shirts. "I enjoy the work, I like work- ing with the owners. I feel a t- shirtis the longest exposure ad- vertising theres," he said, He also wants to push for de- signing logos for any corpora- tion. His shirts have been sold anywhere from $16 to $30 at times. The more shirts a corpo- ration wants the lower the price will go. He has t-shirts, tanks, and sweatshirts that a logo can be placedon. Mr. Smith states that anyone who would like information, or a logo designed is to call him at 985-7023. Police look for abductor Crime Stoppers and Durham Regional Police are again asking for the Public's help in solving an Abduction which occurred on Westney Road just south of Greenwood in the Town of Picker- ing on August 30. } Just after 8 p.m. a woman was driving southbound just south of town when whe saw a man stan- ding on the west shoulder of the roadway and a car parked on the other side. Thinking it was a motorist needing help she pulled over and stopped beside him. She unlocked the passenger door and he got in. She asked him if it was his car and he said it wasn't, and that he was only go- ing down the road. As she started to drive he pulled a knief on her. She started screaming and stopped the car but he grabbed her arm and ordered her to con- tinue driving. He told her to turn towards the Conservation area where he ordered her to stop. A struggle ensued but she managed to drive away. He ran into the bush and disappeared. |] Katty 985-9261 The wanted man is described as a white male, early 30's, 58", stocky build, short sandy coloured hair combed towards the front. He had a pock marked face. He was wearing brown pants, a beige striped shirt and black boots. He was carrying a knife with a brown handle. He also had bad body odour. A re-enactment of this Crime will be shown on City T.V. Chan- nel 57, Cable 7 on Thursday, January 4 during the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. news. It will also, be shown on-CHEX and CKVR TV later in the week. 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