Houndstooth Buys Hanna?s Candle Spot

by Talk Business & Politics ([email protected]) 92 views 

Michael Baker, owner of Fayetteville’s Houndstooth Clothing Co., has purchased the Hanna’s Candle Co. outlet store at 632 E. 15th St. in Fayetteville for $750,000 and is moving his warehouse there from Reindl Warehouse.

There are two buildings on the site. Baker said Houndstooth, which designs and manufactures t-shirts, will use the 10,000-SF building as a warehouse and lease out the 15,000-SF building.

Houndstooth has a permanent store at 29 N. Block Ave. in Fayetteville. The company also has kiosk locations in two malls in Little Rock and one each in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs and Jonesboro.

Baker said he is considering franchising for the first time with two locations in Kentucky this fall. In previous years, Baker has opened kiosks in malls throughout cities in the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference.

“It’s been good to us,” he said, “but I think I’d rather pursue those markets in a different way. We’ll see how this franchising goes.”

Baker said the company’s same-store sales were up 9 percent last year.

“We’re starting this year off strong,” he said. “We had some favorable weather, and that always helps.”

Baker started the retro t-shirt company in 1992.