When Dana Peck purchased Le Pays International in 1988, he started with 150 square feet of space carved out of a family business.
A year ago, he moved into office and warehouse space at 3855 S. 500 West, and he recently signed a lease for more space east of his present location so he can expand again.Peck attributes his company's success to an increased awareness in international politics, athletic competition, familial relationships in foreign countries and Salt Lake City's attempt to host a Winter Olympics. Strangely, most of his business is done in the United States, and he makes few exports.
Le Pays (French word for "the country") International deals in clothing and novelty items bearing the flags of nearly 100 different countries, including the U.S. He also sells various-size flags of the countries and all 50 states.
Even Peck is amazed at the growth of his business that doubled in each of the first three years in business and now has a 60 percent annual rate of sales increases. In 1992 Le Pays did $1.3 million in sales, and this year Peck expects $2 million.
All of this has been done without advertising. He has attended some men's apparel shows, but most of his business comes from referrals. Several months ago he hired two salespeople who sell the items to ethnic shops, gift stores, tourist areas, flag stores and men's stores.
Le Pays' items are the hottest sellers in the United Nations Store in New York City, Peck said.
With 13 employees, Le Pays receives more than 250,000 T-shirts annually that are shipped to three Salt Lake screen printing companies to put the flags of the various countries on the front. Once back at Le Pays, they are used to fill orders for customers.
Other items handled by Le Pays are flags, shorts, balls, pins, watches with faces of flags of foreign countries, sweatshirts, key rings, carry bags and patches.
A native of Provo who was raised in the Salt Lake area, Peck dabbled in carpet laying and in 1983 suffered serious arm injuries in an automobile accident and wasn't expected to live. He was in and out of hospitals for a year and then decided to sell real estate.
He also helped in two family businesses, the Sounds of Zion, a wholesale distributor of books and tapes, and Missionary Emporium. Le Pays sold items to the family businesses and was not doing a good job of it so Peck purchased the company and started selling T-shirts from 40 different countries.
Jason Walton, one of his veteran employees, became a minority owner several months ago.
In addition to the items emblazoned with the flags of countries, occasionally he and his staff design a T-shirt they hope will be popular for certain events like the World Cup soccer championships and are working with the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce on clothing to promote Salt Lake City's bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics.