Tiger Tails Inc. still moving products in region and beyond.

By Brian C. Louwers
C & G Staff Writer

CENTER LINE — Hard work and a belief in the words “Made in the U.S.A.” still mean something in business, at least for one local family, despite an economic climate that has seen manufacturers looking offshore for the cheapest way to mass produce their wares.

Center Line brothers Brian and Eric Anding started down the road to entrepreneurial success in the summer of 2006, when, working with their mom, Shelly Anding, they made their own Detroit Tigers fan merchandise — replica tails, scarves, and key chains — out of tiger-striped fabric, and sold them throughout the team’s regular season and storybook run to the World Series.

Two years later, the business remains up and running, and thriving.

While the products are still distributed through the family’s home in Center Line, they’re now made in Colorado, albeit to the same specifications the Andings said made their product unique and of better quality than the imposters that emerged later.

“There is another tail in there. It’s inferior,” Shelly Anding said. “It’s made in China.”

The family said they cut a deal in early 2007 to produce 3,000 tails with the Colorado manufacturer — opting to keep the product American-made, despite the fact that it could have been produced at a much cheaper cost overseas — in order to meet the demand for the product.  They’re now getting orders over the phone and through their Web site from retailers all over the country.

“It was getting a little difficult with a sewing machine,” said Eric Anding, 17.

Shelly Anding said it was her sons’ decision not to have the tails made outside of the United States.

“The boys just did not want to go that route,” Shelly Anding said.

The product was also trademarked in 2007, and a patent is pending on the Velcro fastener used to attach the tails to, well, just about anything.

Orders coming in from outside of metro Detroit are adding the products to the lists of fan merchandise offered elsewhere, where “Tigers” are also the kings of the sports jungle. That includes a retailer in Missouri, who Shelly Anding said ordered a few dozen tails earlier this month.

While interest continues to grow outside of the state, Brian Anding, 19, said they continue to seek an agreement allowing the sale of the tails at Detroit Tigers home games.  Their merchandise was sold under vendor license outside of the ballpark in 2006.

“[A representative of] Dave Dombrowski called us about a month ago. We had a meeting with them and we talked about a few things,” Brian Anding said.  “We wanted to see if we could sell inside of Comerica Park.”

While nothing to that effect had been finalized at press time, the Andings said they intend to keep their business rolling through the 2008 season, and beyond.

Sales would certainly be bolstered by a Tigers playoff run. In 2006, Eric Anding said, they sold 500 tails on the first day of the playoffs.

As for those Detroit Lions tails?

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Brian Anding said. “I don’t know how hot they’d be. We’ll see how they do this season.”

A 20-inch tail sells for $10 and a 30-inch tail sells for $15. The prices are slightly higher online, selling for $15 and $17, respectively, via the company’s Web site, www.TigerTails4u.com

You can Staff Writer Brian C. Louwers at brianlouwers@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1089.