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n 2011, PGA of America Golf Professional Mike Yevchak broke his foot and had to take some time off from his job as a Director of Golf at Pine Barrens Golf Club in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
He decided to try his hand at making signs and, along with his wife Kathy, started a small business at their kitchen table. Signs By the Sea quickly became a hit in the Philadelphia PGA Section, with word spreading across the region – and eventually, the country – about its quaint weathered signs and other products.
Thirteen years later, Signs By the Sea is a thriving company that has had to relocate twice – the latest move to a 5,000-square-foot space in Wall, New Jersey – to accommodate its expansion into more than 2,500 golf shops. The company’s product lineup now includes everything from awards and gifts to vintage glassware, custom firepits, martini glasses, wine racks and more.
Co-Owner Kathy Yevchak discusses the company’s journey and why a focus on cultural trends has Signs By the Sea poised for even more growth.
1. When you and your husband started a small sign-making business in the garage of your New Jersey home in 2011, did you ever imagine it would grow into this?
Kathy Yevchak: If you had told me in 2011 what was going to happen over the next 13 years, I would have laughed and never believed you. In the beginning, we thought of it as a way to make ends meet for our young family, as we were both working other jobs. We were excited about our first couple of orders! It was incredible for us to see fellow PGA of America Professionals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania taking a chance on Signs By the Sea and supporting our venture.
Our dedication, creativity and passion for what we do has really driven our success.
2. Why is your product such a natural in a golf shop environment?
Yevchak: The Signs By the Sea aesthetic was truly the first of its kind in the golf industry and offers a unique combination of relaxed nostalgia and a high-level quality product. As we all know, golf is a sport based on tremendous history and our look is a nod to that history, combined with our creative ability to make something “new” each season.
Although we were originally inspired by our proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the Signs By the Sea vibe really hits a perfect sweet spot for golf regardless of a club’s geography. Mike’s experience as a PGA of America Professional for many years, combined with our sales director Chris Crowley’s years of selling experience and my marketing and communications background, came together to put us in a position to be able to anticipate and respond to PGA Professionals’ and merchandisers’ needs over the years while staying true to our aesthetic.
From the beginning, some things have never wavered, and the two most important things will always be quality of product and excellent customer service. We believe there is tremendous value in this, and our customers and sales reps also believe it.
3. How important is customization in golf now, and why do you think Signs By the Sea stands out in this area?
Yevchak: One of the most valuable assets of a golf club is its logo. We pride ourselves on being able to help golf professionals by creating custom-made exclusive products for their members and guests. We believe this has always been and will continue to be really important in golf; therefore, we keep focused on the fact that everything we do is custom made to order. We are able to create an amazing array of custom products, all made in the U.S. and with relatively low minimums.
4. How big is your tournament business now, and how are you growing it?
Yevchak: Our tournament business is one of the largest segments of our business. We love advising our customers on how to create a portfolio of Signs By the Sea products for various events to fit within their budgets. We also love to work with PGA Sections around the country. We enjoy attending their meetings, providing custom giveaways and sponsoring PGA Section awards. We also participate in PGA Magazine’s merchandise summits and are a new partner with PGA Magazine’s Women Leaders Platform. We also use social media, catalogs and an amazing network of independent sales representatives to spread the word about our tournament offerings. We just expanded our sales rep network in the fall and look forward to helping even more customers with their tournament needs.
5. What is your most important recent product development and why?
Yevchak: We are constantly asking ourselves, what can we bring to golf that is new and exciting? What trends do we see in the overall economy that we feel can apply to golf and our products? One of our most recent product/art developments is our new Graffiti Golf line. Golf has grown to include younger generations and involves a lot of nostalgia, so we feel that our Graffiti Golf concepts really connect with both of those themes.