Finding Minnesota: Monkey In A Dryer
RICHFIELD, Minn. (WCCO) -- It's Labor Day weekend and while many people will have the day off to relax, the day is really dedicated to the achievement of American workers.
Over the years, we've seen our share of brilliant entrepreneurs here in Minnesota and new ones are still popping up.
This week in Finding Minnesota, it's the story of a Twin Cites man who turned his hobby into a successful small business -- one that's doubled its sales in the last three years.
Sometimes a name says it all. But in this case, it's a little tougher to decipher.
The logo and name of a Richfield business are displayed inside and outside its building, and even on the company car.
But, what the heck is Monkey In A Dryer?
It is a custom screen-printing business that kicks out tens of thousands of T-shirts a year, and it's growing like wildfire.
Dallas Poague is a graphic artist and the founder of this company.
Six years ago he was making T-shirts for his friends and paying a company to do the printing.
He got so busy that he decided to cut out the middle man, lease his own printing equipment, and start his own business.
"We are doing it from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed. But it's on our schedule. The more we work the more successful we get," Poague said.
Poague now has two employees -- his longtime friend, Matt, and his wife, Drea.
She showed us a T-shirt they made for one of their bigger clients, Target.
They wanted something for their employees.
"It's a bubble shirt. We used foil, where we take sheets of metallic foil. We place it over the part that we printed, heat press it on and peel it off," Drea Poague said.
Dallas Poague credits his website for boosting his sales. He is constantly updating it and promoting the instant price quote feature.
"They're always just complimenting (the website.) I never understood why. I did all that myself. I am self taught in that department," he said. "I think that is the thing. I never really learned the correct way, I did it my way."
Monkey In A Dryer also created shirts for a unit of the Army stationed in Afghanistan.
The soldiers wear them when they exercise and sometimes, even under their uniforms.
They sent back a photo of all of them wearing their shirts.
The pride these guys take in their work and unusual company name goes right down to the boxes the T-shirts are delivered in.
Poague personally prints this logo on each one.
He's also proud of where his business is located.
The barn that houses the printing equipment is one of the oldest structures in Richfield. As is the adjacent house that the Poagues now live in.
It's clear from looking at the images on their business cards and website, they are of fond times gone by and well on the way to making some history themselves.
So why the weird name for the business?
Poague said a friend once told him that he was always in constant motion, kind of like a monkey in a tumbler.
He thought that was funny, but changed it a little to Monkey in a Dryer.
