A Chat With May’s Profile, Suzanne Vlietstra, president of Hobby Horse Clothing Co.

CS: How many times a year is the catalog mailed?
SV: Once. We’re missing so many obvious things we should be doing in the catalog business, and yet it has worked for us. But I think there’s a time on the table to pick up with a partner or an advisor who can show us what we need to be doing.

CS: What time do you generally drop the book?
SV: Early spring is our best time, but we still don’t have our book out [at press time] because we had to stop and make 30 new styles of garments, photograph them, fill them up and now the catalog will come out pretty quick. This hasn’t happened before, by the way. This had to do with the limited editions. Which is due to changes in the marketplace and changes in our material availability going to this limited edition program. It’s more profitable, but it’s almost like having to invent a new business.