New mission, new name for local business

by Katie Wubben, Owner
Marketplace On Mill Street
Over time, changes are inevitable, whether they are welcomed or not. Businesses come and go; families grow and people pass on. Sometimes changes can be hard to accept, while others bring excitement. Running a business has forced me to make many adjustments and adapt to change along the way. Processes and services must evolve with the everchanging environment to help the business thrive.
In the beginning, Pit Stop Printing had minimal services, including paper printed products, along with signs and decals. Screen printing was eventually added, then embroidery. Most recently, we’ve added the capability to produce custom jewelry, mugs, and home décor, using photos and business logos. We are proud to produce nearly every product we offer right here in Lake Mills.
Opportunities to learn from talented people, both locally and nationally, have allowed me to grow my business to unexpected heights. To keep the business moving forward, the target must change with the evolution of a community and myself. It is time that the wealth of knowledge and experience I’ve gained through my business and in my personal life, be put to use to help a bigger purpose. The products and services have outgrown Pit Stop Printing and it is time for our next evolution as a business.
By remodeling our retail space, we have revealed much of the character in the building, showing off original hardwood floors and high ceilings with a large open space. Core services will continue as usual, but many new products will fill the greatly expanded retail area, creating a unique shopping experience in a relaxed setting filled with products that hold a great deal of purpose.
You will find many hand-crafted items including housewares, apparel, jewelry, mugs, tea, essential oils, games, toys, books, gift baskets and much more made by local and global artists. A local artist will be featured each month to help introduce their product, while offering advice in their pursuit of growing their hobby or business.
In addition to the new products, we will also be hosting a class that focuses on helping our community feel their best by exploring natural options to fight daily issues life brings. This class will be held on the second Tuesday of the month, free of charge. We are hopeful to add a class to allow community members to create something special, utilizing the many capabilities of the business in the next year.
In the early years, Pit Stop Printing attended local events in a mobile unit, creating custom apparel and decals on-site. Customers’ requests carried great symbolism and meaning, making our creations treasured for a lifetime. This was a very rewarding method of doing business.
 Unfortunately, these jobs can be difficult to fit into the daily grind without disrupting the flow of production. While developing an online store with Etsy, we have found ways to streamline the personalized products we offer. This has allowed us to ship nearly 1,000 orders all over the U.S. and learn more effective ways to produce them.
Rather than eliminating the option to fulfill small, meaningful orders for our customers, we have decided to take a step back to our roots and bring that same-day service to our hometown on Saturday nights. Customers will be able to choose an item to personalize and while they wait or go out to dinner, we will create their finished treasure. In today’s society, life moves quickly. This way of doing business will allow the customer to have a more personal experience and be part of the design process while receiving their personalized item very quickly.
With fewer stores around us, there is an ever-growing void for a variety of unique products. Shopping online is convenient, but nothing beats a shopping experience that leaves a lasting impression on you by supporting a bigger purpose than profit. When purchasing from a local small business, your dollars support so much more than a sale. They employ your neighbors, benefit the community with sponsorships and donations made to benefits and activities for youth, not to mention providing a one-on-one customer service experience.
I have hopes that this transformation will add to the unique offerings of our town and attract out of town shoppers. When I go into a store and find that “perfect item” for someone special, I enjoy the experience of finding it, just as much as giving it. With every product having its own story and purpose, I’m hopeful our customers will have this same feeling while shopping the re-branded store.
Our mission moving forward is to use the knowledge gained through business and personal experience to better our local and global community through education, product availability, environmentally conscious business practices along with a family-first approach to everyday operations. We’re thrilled to offer a variety of products sourced from vendors whose practices strongly align with our new mission. I feel this is my opportunity to be the change I wish to see in the world.
Moving forward, we are excited to introduce you to the new and improved Pit Stop Printing, which will now be known as Marketplace On Mill Street. We appreciate the support received from the community through the past 15 years and hope you will come visit us during our Grand Re-Opening Open House. Keep an eye on the Pit Stop Printing Facebook page during the next number of transitional months, to stay up-to-date on progress. To give our customers special rewards and keep them in the know, we are creating an app to show new product arrivals, provide exclusive coupons, event dates, reward points for purchases and much more.
For more details, check out our new website at www.MarketplaceOnMill.com.