Apple Group, Inc. Provides Quality Screen Printing and Embroidery
Photography Provided
Judy and Ed Burton, and their sons Greg and Kory, founders of Apple Group, Inc. in Tipton, say local residents have helped their various family businesses succeed through the years.
The amount of community support we have received from people in Tipton and the surrounding counties for the past 48 years has been outstanding, Judy Burton says. In 1974, our family and another couple bought an empty car dealership downtown, and rehabbed an empty building into the Side Street Mall. My father and uncle did all the renovating, and built all the storefronts that still look good today.
Burton says there have been other family businesses as well.
Previous to starting Apple Group, Inc., we owned Bs Boutique Childrens Shop and Shoe Store that was located in the Side Street Mall, Burton says.
Burtons appreciation of Tipton has grown through the years.
We grew up here and attended school here, as did our children, she says. We all settled here because it is home. We love our community, and all that small towns offer – schools, parks, a sense of neighborhood, and freedom for our children to ride their bikes. We also have our community leaders that care, and the Tipton Main Street Association that has worked on improving our downtown appearance.
Burton says her family has also expanded through the years.
We have three sons and their wives, 19 grandchildren, and two great-grandbabies that live within 20 minutes of Tipton, she says. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have everyone close, and can enjoy them on almost a daily basis.
The Burtons have enjoyed watching their business grow, and says it offers many services including screen printing, embroidery and advertising products.
We can do almost anything imprinted or embroidered that you might need, she says.
The company has a solid reputation with its repeat customers.
We pride ourselves on delivery on time, so just tell us when you need it, and we will deliver, Burton says. We have grown our customer base through the years by repeated good service, and word of mouth from our good customers. We also have a showroom with all of our samples. Our strengths are our knowledgeable, friendly sales associates, our art department, and our commitment to serving our clients the best we can, by continuing education and sourcing of the latest products available.
Burton is also proud of the work her business does during busy times. She recalls one particularly busy basketball season in the early 1990s. One week before the IHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament finals in March of 1993, Kokomo School Corporation (KSC) leaders ordered 1,000 cloth handkerchiefs with a special design on them for fans of the Kokomo girls basketball team. The KSC leaders also ordered 48 shirts with the same design.
Burtons son Greg handled the design, which included an outline of the state of Indiana with a basketball net in the center, and she says the design and the colors on the shirts and handkerchiefs were a big hit.
An additional 250 shirts were ordered and were to be delivered to a pep rally after the Kokomo team won. However, McCutcheon High School in Lafayette had also placed an order with Burtons company, including 30 shirts with an additional 400 to be delivered if the school won the game. Burton says the tricky part was waiting to see who won, and then getting her orders filled in a timely manner.
The Burtons watched the game on a small black-and-white television, and began completing orders accordingly when it became clear that Kokomo would be the victor.
Its a clear example of Burtons willingness to deliver for customers no matter the circumstance.
Apple Group, Inc. is located at 122 North East Street in Tipton. For more info, visit applegroup.com, or call 1-800-695-5121.
