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Culture Studio Expands With New Production Facility in Florida

The Chicago-based apparel decorator recently closed on the purchase of a 75,000-square-foot warehouse in Daytona Beach.

Chicago-based decorator Culture Studio (asi/532911) is expanding into Florida. The merch maker announced that it closed April 7 on a 75,000-square-foot warehouse space in Daytona Beach, FL, that will become its second production facility. The expansion will help Culture Studio enable two-day ground shipping to anywhere in the U.S. for its clients.

“We are thrilled to expand our footprint and add to the electric energy of the area,” CEO Rich Santo wrote in a blog post about the new facility, which is located just a few blocks away from the Daytona Speedway.

aerial view of Culture Studio's new facility buildings

Culture Studio has purchased a 75,000-square-foot warehouse space in Daytona Beach, FL, to help it expand its decoration capabilities and ability to offer quick turns on custom merch.

Culture Studio specializes in full-package merchandise, powering the music and entertainment industry in retail, tour and e-commerce sales. “In a fast-paced and quickly changing industry, our clients are at the forefront of every decision and investment we make,” Santo said. “How can we deliver the best experience possible that makes their jobs easier?”

The ability to offer two-day ground shipping will help meet the demand for the quick turnarounds needed in the touring industry – when there are, for example, last-minute schedule changes or additions to multi-city tours. Another factor in its ability to offer quick turns has been Culture Studio’s investment in its proprietary order management technology Stokkup, which has helped it build an efficient network across the country.

Culture Studio plans to make major investments into decorating equipment at its new Daytona facility, creating areas for dye sublimation, heat transfers and specialty decoration methods, as well as retail-compliant finishing services like folding/bagging, inside tag printing and more. The warehouse will also have 10,000 square feet of climate-controlled rooms that will be stocked with embroidery, screen printing and digital printing equipment.

distressed gray washed Guns N' Roses tank top

Culture Studio’s new Daytona Beach facility will include a commercial laundering system, allowing it to offer specialty washes like this on garments.

The new facility will also incorporate a commercial laundering system so that Culture Studio can offer specialty washes and dyes on garments, both before and after they’re printed. “The vintage rock ’n’ roll tee will never be the same,” Santo says.

Santo noted in a LinkedIn post that the year-long quest to find the right property and nail down financing has been “one of the greatest and most challenging achievements” of his career, and that he’s looking forward to building out the facility with machinery. “We can’t wait to show everyone the space and print the first garment,” he added.