Durham Couple Finds Fit With T-Shirt Company

A Durham couple has been making their customers look good for more than a decade.

Joel and Susan Volenec are the owners of Nice T-Shirt, a screen printing and design company the pair operate out of their home on the southern end of town.

Nice T-Shirt launched in 2002, combining Joel's interest in art and design and his previous work with a screen printer in North Haven with Susan's sales and marketing know-how, much of which she learned while working in the fashion industry in New York.

"It was a desire to make it happen, to create a business," says Joel.

"We work with schools, business to business, smaller businesses, restaurants, landscapers," says Susan. Clients include Perk On Main, Lino's Market and Torrison Stone as well as customers in places like New Jersey, Hawaii and even Canada.

While ordering is done on-line or over the phone, the actual screen printing is done in the couple's garage. "I have a manual press, so it's all done by hand," says Joel.

T-shirt prices range from about $7 to $25 depending on the complexity of the print, the material and the number ordered.

The business expanded recently with the addition of Pure Yogi, a line of products targeted to customers who practice yoga and pilates. "We launched that about two-and-a-half years ago and it's specifically organic and uses different types of material that people that practice pilates and yoga use," says Joel. 

"It's definitely made a huge difference in our business," he adds. "Especially with the yoga stuff, people love these nicer garments, the softer feel, the better garments."

The Pure Yogi product line includes everything from yoga pants to yoga mats and blocks to water bottles.

For more information on Nice T-Shirt or Pure Yogi visit the websites or call 860-349-0727 for a free quote.