Houndstooth Sales Jump as Sports Afield Deal Nears

Houndstooth Clothing Co. of Fayetteville had a 32 percent increase in same-store sales during September and an 11 percent increase in October, said Michael Baker, who started the retro T-shirt company in 1992.

“We put up two back-to-back solid months,” he said, “so I hope that means we’ll have a good Christmas season.”

The September sales numbers were being compared to September 2001, when the United States experienced the worst terrorism attacks in its history. Baker said he expected an increase for September 2002, just not a 32 percent increase.

“Everybody was just kind of in a daze at this time last year,” he said.

Houndstooth, which had annual revenue of about $2 million last year, has a permanent store in downtown Fayetteville.

The company’s other five locations are in mall kiosks in Fayetteville, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro and Memphis.

“Everything for us is about Christmas,” he said, “so I hope we can come up with what we need to, but we can’t control how many people go to the malls.”

Baker said he plans to sign a licensing agreement soon with Sports Afield magazine to make T-shirts emblazoned with some of the magazine’s covers from the 1930s through 1950s.

“We’re going to try to wholesale those through department stores and specialty retail stores,” he said. Houndstooth Clothing Co. of Fayetteville had a 32 percent increase in same-store sales during September and an 11 percent increase in October, said Michael Baker, who started the retro T-shirt company in 1992.

“We put up two back-to-back solid months,” he said, “so I hope that means we’ll have a good Christmas season.”

The September sales numbers were being compared to September 2001, when the United States experienced the worst terrorism attacks in its history. Baker said he expected an increase for September 2002, just not a 32 percent increase.

“Everybody was just kind of in a daze at this time last year,” he said.

Houndstooth, which had annual revenue of about $2 million last year, has a permanent store in downtown Fayetteville.

The company’s other five locations are in mall kiosks in Fayetteville, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro and Memphis.

“Everything for us is about Christmas,” he said, “so I hope we can come up with what we need to, but we can’t control how many people go to the malls.”

Baker said he plans to sign a licensing agreement soon with Sports Afield magazine to make T-shirts emblazoned with some of the magazine’s covers from the 1930s through 1950s.

“We’re going to try to wholesale those through department stores and specialty retail stores,” he said.