By Sarah Finley, ODA Treasurer
For Mary Kaye Massey, owner of PersonaliTees in downtown Ottawa, creating something special has always been about more than just putting a design on a shirt. It’s about bringing ideas to life, building relationships, and, above all, family.
This November, PersonaliTees celebrates four years in business, making it the perfect time to recognize the family-owned shop as the Ottawa Downtown Association’s November Business of the Month!
PersonaliTees began as a venture between Mary Kaye and her son, Josh, but over time, the business became what Mary Kaye affectionately describes as her “baby.” Their journey hasn’t been without challenges. When Mary Kaye was diagnosed with stage four cancer, Josh stepped up to keep the business running while she focused on her health. After recovering, she returned to the shop with a renewed dedication to the business she had built. Today, Josh remains involved, assisting at the shop and handling outside sales, while Mary Kaye’s daughter, Madison, also helps with day-to-day operations.
Mary Kaye’s experience with custom apparel goes back much further than the storefront itself. She’s been creating shirts since 2000, beginning with vinyl, rhinestones, glitter, and other decorative techniques. Over the years, her skills, equipment, and offerings have continued to evolve.
At one point, while caring for both of her ailing parents, Mary Kaye seriously considered closing the boutique after the business suffered financially during her absence. But Josh wasn’t ready to let that happen.
“I said, ‘Bye, I’m done,'” Mary Kaye recalled. “Josh said, ‘No, you’re not done.'”
That determination, along with the support of her family, helped keep PersonaliTees going.
Today, the shop offers an impressive variety of customization services, including embroidery, laser engraving, direct-to-film (DTF) transfers, UV printing, decals, magnets, stickers, banners, yard signs, custom jerseys, and much more. From personalized tumblers and cutting boards to apparel for businesses and athletic organizations, the possibilities are nearly endless.
One thing Mary Kaye and Madison are particularly proud of is that everything is produced in-house. Nothing is outsourced, allowing the team to remain personally involved in each project from start to finish.
And while PersonaliTees works with larger companies, wholesale customers, and organizations such as Wolfpack Athletics, no order is too small.
Whether a customer needs hundreds of shirts for a business or just one personalized gift, Mary Kaye and her team are happy to help.
In fact, some of their favorite projects begin with customers who have an idea but aren’t quite sure how to bring it to life.
“Everyone has different ideas, and making them come to life is really neat,” Mary Kaye shared.
That creativity has also led to some unique products of her own, including the shop’s trademarked Billboard Sweatshirt. The idea came to Mary Kaye in a moment of inspiration, and rather than letting it sit, she simply decided to make it happen.
Of course, not every project is a quick one. Mary Kaye still remembers her very first embroidery job, an elaborate design covering the entire back of a sweatshirt. With more than 80,000 stitches, the project took approximately eight hours to complete!
Behind all that creativity is an ever-growing collection of specialized equipment. Learning the technology and maintaining the machinery has been one of the more unexpected challenges of running the business. As Mary Kaye pointed out, small businesses don’t have dedicated IT or maintenance departments to call when something goes wrong. Fortunately, her husband, Bob, is handy and frequently helps keep things running smoothly.
The team continues to expand its capabilities, recently adding new equipment for decals, yard signs, and UV printing, with even more creative possibilities on the horizon.
As lifelong Ottawa residents, Mary Kaye and her children have also enjoyed watching their hometown grow and evolve. They love their location in the heart of downtown and appreciate the visibility, foot traffic, and sense of community that comes with it.
Madison noted that nearly every shift brings visitors from outside the area, including families and couples traveling from the suburbs to explore Ottawa’s shops and restaurants. It’s an interesting reversal of the familiar habit of traveling toward the suburbs for shopping and entertainment!
Downtown events such as the Third Friday Makers Market and Cris Kringle Market have also been wonderful opportunities to introduce new customers to PersonaliTees and bring additional foot traffic through their doors.
While the holiday season once represented their busiest time of year, Mary Kaye laughed that business now seems to stay busy year-round.
Mary Kaye
“Just when we think it’s slowing down, it blows back up again!”
Despite the growing demand, the heart of PersonaliTees remains the same: personal service and genuine relationships.
Mary Kaye believes one of the biggest differences between shopping locally and ordering from a large online retailer is the connection customers develop with the people behind the business. At PersonaliTees, familiar faces are remembered, customers are greeted by name, and many have become friends along the way.
It’s also an opportunity to keep dollars circulating within the community and support a family that has deep roots in Ottawa.
When asked what she most wanted people to know about PersonaliTees, Mary Kaye’s answer brought everything back to the values that have carried the business through its first four years.
A customer ordering just one shirt will receive the same care and attention as a corporation placing a large order.
“We are family here. Without our family, we would not be here.”
Congratulations to Mary Kaye, Madison, Josh, and the entire PersonaliTees family on being named the Ottawa Downtown Association’s November Business of the Month!
