Knucklehead Embroidery Inc. launched over 17 years ago and what began as a crazy idea by Dave Cobb, is now a business success story. Dave’s idea of converting a childhood obsession – Embroidered Yankee hats – into a business wasn’t always widely accepted. His family thought he was crazy – why leave a great job at IBM? His friends wouldn’t listen to him and his co-workers stopped acknowledging him years earlier- Except for one man – Matt Heier. Matt listened to Dave and together they drafted a plan to buy a single-head embroidery machine and launch the business.

Dave’s newly finished basement was converted from a family room to an embroidery business – and the work began. Endless hours were spent learning the machine and experimenting with a variety of garments. Days were spent at IBM and nights and weekends in the basement. Dave’s family became accustomed to hearing the roar of the embroidery machine and the sound of laughter as the business partners developed the business.

Dave and Matt fulfilled many orders – mostly small because they could only embroider one shirt at a time. But then around the one year anniversary they landed a large Lockheed Martin order. 2,000 embroidered shirts to be completed in two months. Excited and terrified, the owners now had to figure out how to embroider all those shirts one by one – doing it nights and weekends. Dave’s home became a warehouse – floor to ceiling with boxes of shirts and then the sewing began. They ultimately fulfilled the order – but more importantly they learned valuable business lessons and now knew that this business could be big.

In late 1999, Knucklehead leased 2,000 sq ft of space at the Valley Plaza in Johnson City, NY – and both partners ended up leaving IBM to live the dream and grow the business.

Today, Knucklehead Embroidery & Screen-printing does business all over the US, Canada and Europe – serving corporate, small business, schools, universities, booster clubs, casinos and many more. A small business success story that continues to operate on one main concept – follow your passion, do what’s right for the customer and always give your best, everyday.

Charitable Giving

Knucklehead gives back - and we believe in supporting our community. That’s why we take an active role in supporting organizations, schools and charitable events. We believe that if you are going to do business in a community- you must support that community. Local businesses must support the communities they do business in – and Knucklehead does. Each and every year we donate a percentage of our sales back to local and some national charities – in the way of donations, embroidered apparel, screen-printed shirts and promotional products.
 

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