Stitchity Doo Dah owner Jennifer Haddock holds a rain jacket available for monogramming in her Ringgold store.If you go
Stitchity Doo Dah, at 64 Millennium Circle in Remco Business Center, is open Tuesday-Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Email stitchitydoodah1@gmail.com or find “Stitchity Doo Dah” on Facebook to learn more.
Most of her life, Jennifer Haddock watched her mother and grandmother sew and create fashion, generating an interest in her as well.
After running an online embroidery business for several years, she recently opened Stitchity Doo Dah in the Remco Business Center.
“I learned to embroider and make pocket tees while visiting my aunt Joan Kelly in Alabama,” said Haddock. “That’s how it all started [in 2012]. That weekend, I went and bought my first machine, a Brother 440 beginner single-needle, at Wal-Mart. Then I went home and it was trial and error to learn how to do everything. At that point, after a few unsatisfying career attempts, I knew this was something I wanted to do long-term. So I created a Facebook page and started selling items.
“I had so many orders that they would fill up my front porch bench and table for pickup, and so I opened the store to fill the need.”
Business has been steady since opening the storefront around Christmastime, she said.
“Opening a storefront was the best decision I ever made,” said Haddock. “I also wanted to continue to build on the success I had online with social media. That led to the creation of an online store where customers could shop 24/7 from anywhere. I am very thankful for this opportunity to have my own business called Stitchity Doo Dah and share my passion for embroidery and boutique clothing for all sizes.”
She said she had originally thought about going to nursing school because she had always worked in the medical field. But after marrying her high school sweetheart, Greg, and having two children, Brody and Katy, she realized her true passion was sewing and fashion.
Haddock opened her store with the help of family, friends and her business partner, Elisa Gunter, who handles monogramming. Haddock’s mother, Sharon Langston, and Cathy Haddock, Greg Haddock’s cousin, both work in the store too.
“My mentor is Sheila Lively. Any time I have a question, she helps out,” Haddock said.
Ringgold’s Suzanne Durham stopped by Stitchity Doo Dah recently for the first time and bought two shirts. She said she plans to shop there again.
“I have a ‘blanks’ section for clothes that can be monogrammed,” Haddock said. “My store carries Umgee tunics, Blu Pepper, 12PM by Mon Ami and a vendor called Southern Pearl that carries pearl jewelry. My Charles River rain jackets are top-sellers. My baseball raglan shirts are popular, too, with embroidery or vinyl letters. We carry Comfort Colors T-shirts and sweatshirts. We have flip-flops, sandals and clothing for children. I always have a $20 sale rack where everything is $20.”
She added that the store offers a 10 percent discount to teachers and to people on their birthdays.