“A World of Opportunity”: Grandstand Is Prepared for What’s Next
By Joshua Falleaf, Director of Economic Development, EDC of Lawrence & Douglas County
From a small operation in North Lawrence with maybe a dozen employees to a manufacturing facility in East Hills Business Park, Grandstand Drinkware + Apparel is a local innovator making national impact.
In the field of branding and promotion, Grandstand stands out for its customization, personalized service, and a reputation for quality. “We did a good job for one guy, then he told the next guy,” said Chris Piper, President and CEO of Grandstand.
At least one of those guys would have been Chuck Magerl, founder and proprietor of Free State Brewing Co. in Lawrence. Magerl created the brewery industry in Kansas.
“When we opened up as a brewery, we immediately turned to Chris [Piper] for the idea of some tee shirts that we were looking to include as merchandise for our customers,” Magerl said. “It felt like both of our companies were emerging in a parallel fashion.”
“When we opened up as a brewery, we immediately turned to Chris [Piper] for the idea of some tee shirts that we were looking to include as merchandise for our customers... It felt like both of our companies were emerging in a parallel fashion.
Chuck Magerl, founder and proprietor of Free State Brewing Co.
And Grandstand did indeed emerge, needing to move a number of times to accommodate its growing operations and expand its footprint. This Lawrence-based and Lawrence-grown company now boasts 250,000 sq/ft facility (including office, production, and warehouse spaces), $50 million net sales, and over 15 million units produced.
Some of this production goes to recognized brands such as Boulevard Brewing, Liquid Death, KU Alumni Association, and Hawaiian Bros Island Grill. But a large part of its output goes to other, often much smaller and diverse customer base, which in 2024 numbered 10,037.
“We’re more a solutions company,” said Piper, “and we can do things for you that few of our competitors can.”
Company Snapshot
At a Glance
Creative and Customized
With 25-plus artists and designers on site, Grandstand Creative really distinguishes the operations from typical printing one might be familiar with. Through engaged consultations with account managers and the artists themselves, customers get creative talent and expertise interested in those businesses and helping to craft images, logos, storytelling that exemplify those brand identities.
“We help [customers] merchandise and stand out in a crowded marketplace,” said Chad Bryan, Director of Operations. Whether a 48-piece or a 48,000-piece order, everything is customized to order and creates a good customer experience," he adds.
““We’re more a solutions company and we can do things for you that few of our competitors can.”
Chris Piper, President and CEO of Grandstand
This unique, customized approach that creates this differentiation is what Grandstand is great at, as well as the diverse products and applications used to tell customers’ stories. Grandstand Creative is determined to get it right, to ensure the image translates well from the computer screen to tee shirt, hat, drinkware, reusable bags in thoughtful ways that consider material, color, design, and everything in between.
As for what’s next, “There’s a world of opportunity out there for us, and we just need to go find those opportunities,” said Bryan.
Grandstand stays at the forefront of technology, innovation, fashion and business trends. “We’ve had to put a focus on packaging and kitting services because customers want a retail-ready product that they can put on the shelf or ship directly out of Amazon or from their home web store,” said Bryan. This includes the current popularity of stainless and coated drinkware/travelware like Camelbak.
Employee Experience
The culture and diversity of Lawrence and its population provide an environment rife with talent and creativity, which Grandstand attracts to its talented group of 160 employees.
“There’s a great creative heart to Lawrence, you know, whether it be the music scene or the restaurant scene or the arts, and that’s reflected in our workforce as well,” said Bryan.
“There’s a component of creativity that is in the operation out there,” said Magerl, who continues to see that creativity in action with his Free State products and merchandise. “It’s not simply trying to take a program and stamp it out and send it out.”
Employee Snapshot
At a Glance
“[Grandstand] is trying to incorporate information and ideas that are coming from different businesses, different art forms, and trying to find the right fit that can come through their building and out into the world.”
The average worker on the production team has been with Grandstand for eight years. One of those employees at the high end of this average is Nevin White, Account/Innovation Manager, who’s been with the company for about 30 years.
“I started here right out of high school,” said White. “It was supposed to be a two-week temporary job. That was in 1996.”
The variety of work opportunities at Grandstand truly provides a diversity of positions, from those working with incredible creativity to those producing with great efficiency. So while the people focus on producing the highest quality experiences and products for their customers, Grandstand prioritizes the experiences of its employees.
“We do care a lot about employees,” said White, standing in the on-site workout space. “ROI doesn’t beat employee experience.”
