New Owner ‘A Perfect Fit’ for Mikini
- February 7th 2025
- Business Spotlight
New Owner Chris Caswell with daughter and employee Hailey Caswell at Mikini .
Photo: Kristi King
By Kristi King
Mikini Embroidery and Sports Apparel, a business that has kept local sports teams and organizations in stitches since 2005, has a new owner and a new business model. Chris Caswell bought the business on Jan. 1 from his longtime friend Duane Romano. After discussing their mutual need for change, the two decided to split the business, with Romano still running The Garage, a maker of signs and designs, while Caswell and his family focus on the apparel, embroidery and printing at the business’s 1458 Main St. location.
Caswell, an Alfred native, was the facilities director at the Sanford Springvale YMCA for eight years before he got the itch to be his own boss. He explained that as a longtime softball coach for 15 years with youth sports, including the last three years as head coach of the men’s SMCC collegiate softball team, sports and apparel have been an important part of his life.
“It’s really a perfect fit for me,” he said. He said he enjoys working with commercial businesses, schools and sports teams. “I’ve got the best of both worlds. I run my own business and I’m able to support the community in a meaningful way.” Mikini supplies a wide variety of ready-to-go swag, embroidered items, and art-inspired merchandise.
Besides running the business with his daughter, Hailey, and wife, Rose, Caswell is head of the Southern Maine Monarch travel softball team for 10- to 18-year-olds in Saco. And while learning the new business and clients can sometimes be stressful, he said, “I really have enjoyed it. I’ve had to learn a lot, but this is the perfect place for me to be.” Daughter Hailey says, “It’s been great to be able to share the work with Dad,” and she is truly grateful for the experience. Meanwhile, this year looks busy for Caswell: Coaching the game and outfitting his community’s sport teams with uniforms.
