Tillinghast of Squad Locker Talks About Managing Growth as an Online Retailer

Tillinghast of Squad Locker Talks About Managing Growth as an Online Retailer

RI-based Squad Locker may have designed the perfect tool for sports leagues and coach who needs to outfit their team with uniforms and “swag.”

The Warwick company allows coaches, managers, and administrators to create custom stores for their team's apparel needs — stores that never close and ship directly to the player’s home.

Tillinghast said the company has raised more than $15 million in venture funding and has grown from 20 employees to more than 120.

He said the company is challenged to recruit and train additional staffing. “It is our number one challenge,” said Tillinghast.

Tillinghast and GoLocal’s CEO Josh Fenton discussed if the online platform can be used for other audiences — such as for business apparel.

Every store’s merchandising and logo design is custom and free.  Every order is processed individually with no minimums.  All orders are fulfilled from SquadLocker’s owned "state-of-the-art" facility in Warwick, and the process utilizes proprietary software and decoration techniques.  

SquadLocker is the official and exclusive online provider of gear and decorated apparel for Sports Engine and Sports Illustrated Play, a division of NBC Sports.

The company was able to grow in part due to the support of a small business loan that was facilitated by RI Commerce.

The segment is part of a sponsored content series between GoLocal and RI Commerce.