Sports attire entrepreneurs Alex Janeczek and Brian Kelly recently took time out to describe their companies located at 920 Broad Ripple Avenue.

"Hayes & Taylor Quality Clothing Company (www.hayesandtaylor.com) opened in 2011 and is co-owned by Brian Kelly and Joe Schneiders. They wanted to make sports-themed vintage t-shirts that are comfortable and well-fitted. I started by printing t-shirts in 2007, making them for Indy Pride in addition to local restaurants and small companies (www.purdrunk.com). We both got on the same entrepreneurial path a few years ago. Kelly and Schneiders liked the marketing and promotions aspect. I do the printing and design for my company. I also have a few other clothing lines that I print for. We've both grown from working out of our garages. Kelly and Schneiders ran out of space and we decided to expand beyond our on-line sales. They have licensing agreements with Butler University, Ball State University, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Indians," Janeczek explained.

"We started four years ago. We wanted to make some vintage sports t-shirts and some beer glasses. All Hayes and Taylor designs are designed by me. In the future, we may possibly move into posters and signs, but want to make sure they fit in with our style and brand. I went to Lawrence North High School and graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in English," Kelly mentioned.

As Janeczek, Kelly and Schneiders joined the same team, "We found out about each other by working at various events. Brian asked me about making t-shirts for them," Janeczek recalled. In creating custom t-shirts, "we hire different artists to design because there is a lot of local talent as we give them our criteria to put it on a shirt," he added.

Their companies took the checkered flag on a springtime order as their business grew. "We put 1,000 t-shirts in the Indy 500 gift shop for May. There are a lot of USA-themed items that we've been selling for the fourth of July. (There is currently a 25 percent discount on USA-themed clothing while supplies last.) Our biggest seller is a Deer Creek t-shirt. We also offer discounts to Butler University students here. If you have a great or an o.k. design on a t-shirt that is not a good color match, people won't buy it. It's all about the color and comfort," Janeczek noted.

A visit to their store is like a walk through a sports exhibit. There is a fully operating basketball scoreboard and a Norman Dale basketball camp t-shirt that references the movie "Hoosiers." Vintage pennants from the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Indianapolis 500, Indiana Racers, Indiana University, Purdue University and Notre Dame hang from opposing walls, as if waiting to compete. Commemorative t-shirts from the Hoosier Dome, Indiana State Fair, the Indianapolis 500's 1992 running and Market Square Arena are included in the lineup. A Butler University t-shirt features a pair of sneakers while another sports an image of Hinkle Fieldhouse. A Clark and Addison Street t-shirt pays tribute to Chicago's Wrigley Field. Deer Creek koozies (cup holders) are a big seller. There is something here for every sports fan.

A Maryland native, Janeczek answered a call to the Hoosier state in 1999 via Purdue University, where he majored in construction management. He attended the West Lafayette school when Drew Brees led the Boilermakers to the 2000 Rose Bowl. He recently made a fast break from his previous job to build his shirt company on a strong foundation. "I quit my job to do this full time this year, creating a guy-centric sports themed t-shirt store at an actual brick and mortar location. We also sell t-shirts, v-necks, tank tops and Henley shirts for women and children. We recently had a customer moving to Portland who purchased some Indiana sports memorabilia to take with him," he said. A t-shirt size chart ranging from XS (extra small) to XXXL (3x extra-large) is at: www.hayesandtaylor.com/size-chart.

A historic location provided the trio a home field advantage. "We were looking for a space with size for my production area and needed an area with foot traffic. We were limited to downtown, Broad Ripple or north of 86th Street. We love Broad Ripple and the foot traffic of people who walk by here on a daily basis. On July 24, we'll be getting ready to sell some football and basketball items, like IU, Indiana State and Ball State. We are working on a game plan for Purdue," Janeczek emphasized.

Licensing an image or logo to reproduce on t-shirts, posters and pennants can be as diverse as the team themselves. Some teams or universities may charge different rates and have restricted use of producing the item. Some teams may prefer going through an exclusive distributor, but these entrepreneurs are drafting more teams to join them.

Their current hours are Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday is their off day. You can e-mail: info@hayesandtaylor.com or stop by to learn more.

Brian Kelly, Joe Schneiders and Alex Janeczek offer authentic sports-theme clothes paying tribute to legendary names. You can own and wear a piece of sports history from Hayes & Taylor Quality Clothing on (920) Broad Ripple Avenue's main straightaway.