Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Fritz.
Hi Mark , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Our story started in a basement in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, in 1984. My friend Mike Hutchinson and I were just a couple of high school kids who wanted to make t-shirts for a local volleyball tournament. We borrowed $200, built our own screen printer, and started printing shirts by hand. We didn’t have a grand vision back then—we just liked creating something from nothing and getting it into people’s hands.
From there, one thing led to another. We sold shirts out of the trunk of our car, then to friends, then to local businesses and resorts. As demand grew, we kept expanding—slowly, steadily, and always with the same focus: make great product, treat people well, and build something we could be proud of in our hometown.
Today, Lakeshirts is a $200+ million company with nearly 1,000 employees. We decorate apparel, hats, stickers, and accessories for thousands of customers across the country. We’ve never left Detroit Lakes—on purpose. We could’ve moved the business elsewhere, but we believe in reinvesting in the community that shaped us. We’ve been lucky to work alongside incredible people and build a company culture that still feels personal and hands-on, even as we’ve grown.
It’s been 40 years, and while the equipment’s changed, the mission hasn’t: make great stuff, work with great people, and have fun doing it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are always struggles – that’s why it’s business. Most have been minor, and a few massively disruptive. It’s getting cliché, but Covid was an incredibly difficult period, but it was for everyone.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Lakeshirts?
Lakeshirts is a leading manufacturer of decorated apparel, headwear, and accessories, based right here in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. We specialize in custom screen-printed and embroidered garments—everything from resortwear to college licensed apparel, to corporate branding and lifestyle merchandise. If you’ve ever picked up a t-shirt from a lakeside gift shop or a hat from your favorite college bookstore, there’s a good chance we made it.
We’re known for three things: unmatched artwork, incredible garment quality, and a customer-first culture that’s grounded in long-term relationships. We don’t just print shirts—we help our partners tell their story through creative, high-quality merchandise that people actually want to wear. Our in-house creative team is the best in the industry, and our attention to detail—from fabric selection to decoration technique—is something we take a lot of pride in.
What sets us apart is our heart. We’ve built this company around the belief that you can grow big and still stay personal. That’s why we’ve kept all of our production right here in Detroit Lakes. We believe in small-town values, hands-on craftsmanship, and taking care of our people and our partners.
Brand-wise, we’re incredibly proud of how Lakeshirts has evolved into a house of brands—including Blue 84, Zephyr Hats, Lakegirl, and others—each with its own personality, but all sharing the same core commitment to quality, creativity, and partnership.
For your readers, we want them to know: when you work with us, you’re not just ordering product—you’re tapping into a company that cares deeply about what we make and who we make it for. We’re here to help bring your vision to life, make the process easy, and deliver something that people will love to wear again and again.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Perhaps the biggest surprise to most people is our footprint. A lot of our sales are to places where folks go on vacation, and just looking for the Blue 84 brand at different shops, gift stores, and locations around the country surprises people the most. We’re literally everywhere, including in a lot of people’s closets!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Lakeshirts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stories/lakeshirts_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakeshirtsblue84/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lakeshirts/
