Managing partner’s lineage is at roots of golf apparel industry
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. – Pima Direct is celebrating their third successful year in the golf apparel business on May 1. Their accomplishments stem from their "Factory Direct" model in their merchandising approach, which reduces the inventory risk by selling a pre-coordinated 36-piece presentation called Professionally Merchandised Assortments (PMA). The PMA concept takes the time and tediousness out of the apparel ordering process and allows buyers to realize 65 percent margins – close to twice the industry standard.
Another part of Pima Direct’s successful model is its Private Labeling program which gives accounts the ability to put their own labels and hang tags on the products. In the past few months, they were selected to be the Private Label supplier for the next four U.S. Open venues.
"We continue to do very well with our private label collection from Pima Direct," said Angelyn Horrell, Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas. "Shipping has been great and I’m very proud to sell their mercerized Supima garments. These shirts are beautiful! Of course Pima Direct remains #1 in gross margin versus all other apparel vendors. What’s not to like with a combination of goods and services like that?"
"We could not be more proud to supply the finest clubs in the world our custom apparel," said Bill Sabayrac, Pima Direct Managing Partner.
Success in the golf attire arena isn’t a surprise if you’re familiar with the Sabayrac name. Bill’s father, Ernie, basically invented the golf apparel industry. Golfers used to wear long-sleeved white shirts with starched collars but Ernie had a vision of a short-sleeved shirt with a logo on the chest.
One day after a round of golf at Thunderbird in Palm Springs, Ernie strolled into the pro shop to talk to the head professional. While there he spied a matchbook with the club emblem on it and the idea hit him. Ernie eventually took the line of Izod LaCoste shirts and transformed them from tennis to golf shirts making the alligator (actually a crocodile) the most recognized logo in and out of sports. The idea made golf professionals a lot of money over time and in 1994 the PGA of America first presented the Ernie Sabayrac Award for lifetime contributions to the golf industry.
As a child Bill Sabayrac used to work in his dad’s showroom in Miami during the summer. Some years later Bill graduated college and went to work at Burdines, a large retail chain prominent in Florida. From there he had an eight year stretch at LaCoste before a 12-year run at Nautica calling on department stores and specialty retailers. He eventually ended up in golf apparel where he felt at home.
A few years ago Bill and long-term partner Mark Killeen worked on a business model while at Studio Direct run by Li & Fung the largest outsourcing agent in the world. Li & Fung had been extremely successful for creating opportunities for specialty retail shops and they wanted to bring that idea to the golf world.
"A key strategy for retailers is to identify the volume driving product and build a custom program at advantageous margins," said Sabayrac. "We looked at how we could do the same in the golf market by offering higher margins, better value to the customer and product differentiation."
In May 2003, Pima Direct was born and the Sabayrac/Killeen team appears to have the "touch" to take this start-up’s success to prominence in the golf apparel arena.
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