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Greg Lechowicz started his clothing company, Great Lakes Pursuit, in part after being unable to find a hat design he desired. 

Greg Lechowicz started his clothing company, Great Lakes Pursuit, in part after being unable to find a hat design he desired. 

Greg Lechowicz poses for a photo with his niece and nephews. 

When Greg Lechowicz has free time, he is often running marathon races, paddleboarding, taking photographs, or creating new designs for his Great Lakes Pursuit clothing line, magnets, stickers, backpacks, and hats.

If you have ever visited the Port Austin’s Farmers Market, you most likely have seen Greg’s tent filled with his unique and beautiful creative clothing, which includes hoodies, shirts, pants, hats, and shorts. Greg has been a consistent vendor for the past five years in Port Austin. The clothing carries the Great Lakes Pursuit logos of the ever popular Turnip Rock located in Port Austin. With a sharp eye for picture perfect angles and design, he creates clothing masterpieces displaying the Huron County local sites of Pointe Aux Barques and Port Austin lighthouses. Other clothing pieces feature iconic places in Michigan, such as the beauty of Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Mackinac Bridge, and Painted Rocks just to name a few.

A post shared by GREAT LAKES PURSUIT (@greatlakespursuit)

He has been able to incorporate his tremendous talent for design and function with his love for running, paddling, nature, and photography. Although Greg has a “regular job,” his passion for the GLP brand he created makes this young entrepreneur a role model for anyone considering pursuing a dream. Greg’s dream all started with the "pursuit" of a special hat.

As an avid standup paddler, it was only natural that Greg would want to wear a hat with a standup paddler on it. The paddleboard had not yet gained much popularity in the Midwest in 2015. Greg even remembers receiving “some strange looks taking a paddleboard on Lake Huron 10 years ago.”

After searching online and coming up empty-handed, an idea started forming in his mind. Greg decided he would design his own hat, which would lead to the “pursuit” and creation of his own brand, Great Lakes Pursuit, a few years later.

As the entrepreneurial spirit began to stir in Greg, he started on a journey of researching, learning, and trademarking his Great Lakes Pursuit product line.

“The artistic theme and concept came natural for the hats’ designs," Greg said. "However, I had to learn various software packages and what was needed to create a vision in my mind and turn it into a reality on a hat and athletic wear. I became more versed and knowledgeable in the hat design process through the running community and becoming a brand ambassador for a custom headwear company before building a global network of my own suppliers and launching the brand."

"I also became a licensed drone pilot in the process," he continued. "The expansion into other products like athletic wear was always part of the vision. The long-term vision decades from now is to create a household brand name like The North Face or Patagonia with the right partnerships, mentorships, and funding."

With a strong vision, strong work ethic, and extreme perseverance, Greg had confidence his product line “had the potential to be a brand, and it was worth trying to grow it into a recognizable household brand nationally over time.”

The “pursuit” of trademarks became a reality. The trademark process proceeded after choosing the iconic Turnip Rock and a paddleboarder, which is actually a silhouette of Greg, as logos, and of course, the Great Lakes Pursuit name. 

“I filed for multiple trademarks back in December 2017 with the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office when GLP was created and founded to protect the brand idea, logos, names on clothing and headwear," Greg said. "They were approved and registered in 2018 and 2019. The trademark process was a learning opportunity, and I did everything on my own and didn’t use outside external legal support.”

Birthing a company and growing it is comparable to watching the birth of your child and helping them to mature and grow. Greg is involved in every aspect of the GLP product line, from design to selection of materials such as polyester for his athletic apparel.

“From my experience, most tourist shops and vendors simply were or are using screen printing on blank cotton shirts," he said. "There was nothing unique, in my opinion, about doing that. I often found the material to be uncomfortable, heavy, and not moisture wicking. Secondly, they are printing designs on another company’s shirts. I wanted my own branding, labels, and logos. There are various forms of materials that can be used. However, polyester-based materials simply offered better graphic design options and lightweight moisture wicking functionality."

Every aspect from color of threads, zippers, placement of the graphics, comfort, and quality are part of Greg’s unending quest for excellence in the GLP brand. Comfort, quality, durability, and uniqueness are hallmarks of his athletic wear.

Greg welcomes input and comments from family, friends, and customers.

"Everybody has different tastes and preferences," he said. "I try to make my designs as unique as possible. Second opinions are always good. One of the most common compliments I receive is the uniqueness of the gear and hearing repeat customers saying so many people ask, ‘Where did you get that from?’ Getting feedback from customers at events and shows is just as important, in my opinion, for future designs."

Ambition, energy, and hard work have brought success to Greg in his “pursuit” of his dream.

"The long term vision is always centered around a lifestyle and athletic brand and everything that entails from clothing, headwear, and uniforms, combining art, graphic design, and photography with high quality materials and production," he said. "However, being a vendor at certain locations like the Port Austin Farmers Market, I have dabbled into replica models of the Port Austin Reef Lighthouse and Turnip Rock as souvenirs to take home."

Popular products often depend on the season and individual tastes. 

"In the hot summer months, headwear seems to be a fan favorite," Greg said. "As the weather cools off towards fall, hoodies seem to take center stage."

"The initial product designs were centered around Port Austin and then branched out to other areas of the Great Lakes State and then focused simply on the logo and brand image," Greg said. "It is certainly true how certain trends and colors go out of style and come back into style. Every year the brand slowly is expanding with new products, materials, and designs. I was very excited to launch technical race running kits this year with cheetah and leopard prints featuring ultra lightweight materials for maximum running performance on race day. I have also had the opportunity to work with high schools in creating custom gear for their cross country track and field teams."

Greg said the paddler in one of the logos represents the freedom of the brand.

"When you are on the water, there is a certain feeling of being free and flying like a bird," he said. "Hence, it’s the concept of pursuit; pursue whatever you want in life. The logos are meant to serve as a reminder to pursue your goals and dreams."

Greg’s product line showcases the beauty of Michigan in stunning graphics and designs. I

You can reach Greg in the following ways: info@greatlakespursuit.com, www.greatlakespursuit.com, or on Instagram: @greatlakespursuit.