FLEECE INC. MOVES ACROSS THE STREET

Fleece Inc. has crossed the street.

The business, which relocated from 621 Broadway to 616 Broadway, has doubled its size, says owner Kyle Dean. "We have 2,000 square feet of floor space now. Our expanding retail and wholesale operations made this necessary.

"We have been successful here in Cape Girardeau," he said. "Sales were up 50 percent our second fiscal year. We needed more retail and wholesale space."

The store handles a variety of fleece wear and other merchandise. It has sweatshirts and jogging suits in the fleece wear department, which it has carried since the store opened two years ago. "Since then, we expanded into jersey knits," he said. "We have womens' shorts sets, skirts, pants sets, shorts, and tops. These are made of a 50/50 cotton polyester blend."

The store provides custom decorating services for shirts.

Fleece Inc. serves as an outlet for clothing produced in a Malden factory, Dean Manufacturing Co., owned by Dean's parents, G. W. and Harriet Dean.

"We handle about 5 percent of what they make," he said. "They wholesale throughout the U.S. in contract work for fleece and knit active wear."

Most of the clothing is for women, with some of it being made for men and for children, Dean said. He said the store can sell the clothing at factory-direct price levels.

Other Fleece Inc. stores are located in Jonesboro, Pine Bluff and Springdale, Ark. More stores are planned.