Blue Collar Workwear
Blue Collar Workwear
Family-owned business adds its fourth location, planting roots in Ellicottville
Family run businesses have been the heart and soul of Ellicottville for generations. Drive, determination and a commitment to the guest experience has proven to be a winning formula for many families in this town. Locals in the area want to support their friends and neighbors. And guests visiting from out of town appreciate the dedication and service that these businesses provide them. So it came as no surprise when the team at Blue Collar Workwear announced that it would be opening a location in Ellicottville.
For those of you not familiar with the brand, this will be Blue Collar Workwear’s fourth location. The headquarters of the operation is in Olean, NY and there are also locations in Jamestown and Rochester, NY. Now, with a new location at 24 Washington St. (on the corner of Washington and Monroe) in Ellicottville, the family behind Blue Collar Workwear is excited to bring their blue collar mentality to Ellicottville.
Mike Earley started the company in 1989 after spending 17 years as a member of the railroad Union in Western New York. Mike knew that the key to success with his new endeavor would be to rely on the help of his family, specifically his wife Kathleen in the early years, and prioritize a customer first mentality in order to make a long lasting impression with clients.
Dan Earley, one of Mike’s sons, is the VP of Industrial Accounts and is the operations manager and operator of the company’s Mobile Shoe Truck, which is a 53-foot trailer that is used to bring the store to your company in order to outfit people with the best work footwear possible. Mike has also been tasked with getting the Ellicottville store up and running - an endeavor that he has taken on with great enthusiasm. Given the fact that they already had a store in Olean, Mike credits the overall growth that Ellicottville has accomplished over the years as one of the primary reasons for opening a store in the village, and the family now views Ellicottville as an integral component for the overall growth of Blue Collar Workwear. They purchased the building at 24 Washington St. about a year ago and immediately got to work at getting established in Ellicottville.
“There is a lot of pride in our family to make sure that this company survives for many years to come,” Dan stated. “My parents devoted endless hours to get this company off the ground. And I have never wavered with my expectations for the business. About seven years ago my parents wanted to scale back. That is when my brother Bradley moved home from Pittsburgh and joined the company. He has brought so much knowledge on the backend of the business that it has allowed us the ability to go out and grow the business tremendously. When you talk family businesses every single person down to the children are a factor and involved to some degree.”
When you visit the new location in Ellicottville, you will find Carhartt clothing and footwear selections from Timberland, Keen, Boggs, Muck, and Merrill. And while the new store hasn’t been open that long yet, Dan is very pleased with the reception that he and his team have received in a short amount of time.
“We have had a tremendous turnout so far and we are truly blessed that the community has come out to support us,” said Earley. “We will continue to bring the community great products at affordable pricing … hopefully for many years to come. Our customers are what makes this all possible and we will never forget that.”
If you have specific questions about the Blue Collar Workwear Ellicottville location, you can email Dan at danearley@bluecollarworkwear.com. To find out more about the company, visit www.bluecollarworkwear.com.