Lawrence Company Spotlights Clients’ Brands, Not Its Own
| 2017 Q2 | story by Emily Mulligan, photos by Steven Hertzog
GRANDSTAND
Though you may not have known it at the time, you’ve likely sipped a brew from a Grandstand mug.
Just about every Lawrencian has used or worn a Grandstand Glassware and Apparel product; they just don’t know it.
Grandstand’s products are ubiquitous in restaurants, local coffee shops and craft breweries across the nation. Yet, consumers may not recognize the company’s name—but that is by design, as Grandstand’s mission is to spotlight its clients’ brands.
Founded in Lawrence and located here since 1988, Grandstand, which is privately owned, is a perfect example of a small-time company that has hit the big time. With 195 employees in its East Hills Business Park headquarters and continual recent growth, Grandstand’s glass is definitely half-full.
As its name states, Grandstand specializes in designing, printing, distributing and marketing glassware and apparel for thousands of specialty beverage companies nationwide.
The company began as a small screen-printing shop on Haskell Avenue, headed by Chris Piper, previously notable in Lawrence as a University of Kansas men’s basketball player. For the first year, most of the company’s business was printing T-shirts and water bottles. The shift to incorporate glassware came in 1989, when a new restaurant, the Free State Brewing Co., opened its doors on Massachusetts Street. Free State remains a Grandstand customer.
Business grew steadily for two decades, and then the craft-brewing trend hit the beer industry, which was great news for Grandstand. Craft brewers and craft-beverage makers now account for 40 percent of the company’s business. Grandstand moved to its current facility in 2011 with 56 employees and has grown exponentially in the past six years.
“It’s a tribute to the leadership there and the employees, that they’re doing something right. They continue to innovate and look at other opportunities, and it’s a really good story,” says Steve Kelly, vice president of economic development at The Chamber.
Grandstand – factory
“Pour” Over all the Choices
The company has four aspects to its operation: decorative glassware and drinkware for all types of beverages; screen-printed and decorated apparel, including shirts, hats and server uniforms; promotional items, such as sunglasses and dog bowls, which are decorated by a separate vendor; and creative services, which include creating logos, artwork and branding for newly established clients.
Grandstand’s business model is not just about being a clearinghouse for products and artwork for its customers, though. Instead, owners want their customers to see Grandstand as a partner to their own brand. And with the services Grandstand provides its customers, to round out and enhance the production process, customers can easily “drink in” all the expertise.
“We work with well over 4,000 craft brewers. That allows us to see trends on the west coast and the east coast, and different industries,” Marketing Director Josh Christie says.
So, at the same time that Grandstand is offering more and more options to its customers, the company is also making it more turnkey to take advantage of those options.
“They’ve done a good job of putting themselves in good market segments, but beyond that, they’ve done a great job of performing for their customers, giving their customers and clients the service and products to help them be successful,” Kelly explains. “It has allowed them to continue to grow and be sourced by these companies.”
Grandstand factory.
“We look at the products as a profit center, not as a cost center,” Christie says.
In other words, the decorated glasses might cost a little more than plain ones, but that also means the beverage customers will want to buy one to take home. And that translates to more dollars per brewpub customer.
Grandstand sees its role as a retail consultant for all the merchandise, not just the glassware, that a beverage maker may want to sell. Staff analyzes the merchandise lineup and ensures there is enough variety of apparel and other items to appeal to wide-ranging tastes. And when the weather is getting warmer, for example, Grandstand offers to add something like a tank top or visor to keep choices fresh.
Grandstand has even thought of all the possible ways to take the order-fulfillment burden off its customers by supplying a customized e-commerce portal with the brewery’s merchandise that its customers can access seamlessly through the brewery’s website.
For example, Grandstand sells decorated glassware to craft brewers so they can stock their bars and serve their customers. But Grandstand also goes a step further and allows that craft brewer’s customer to order glassware for himself or herself directly, and the company packages and ships the order straight to that customer. So, if customers enjoy a craft beer on vacation at a brewery, and they want glassware but don’t want to pack and carry their new glasses the rest of the trip, they can just order some to be shipped to their home.
Grandstand also offers direct online ordering for liquor distributors across the country. If a regional distributor is holding an event and wants to serve in brewery-specific glassware, they can order straight from Grandstand, even if the distributor isn’t a Grandstand customer.
Grandstand – factory
The Cup of Ideas Runneth Over
Two Grandstand product lines illustrate best how the company’s operations, services and products complement one another.
The first is the Craft Master Grand, which is a beer (or coffee) glass Grandstand created exclusively with German glassware designer, Rastal. The glass launched this year and offers characteristics that the traditional pint glass cannot: It stacks without sticking, its design is a lot less susceptible to chipping, and its wider opening allows more of the drink’s aroma to reach the drinker’s nose. The Craft Master Grand looks nice but is still practical, with its 16-ounce capacity and ability to fit in a standard dishwasher, as well as its weighted bottom that won’t tip on trays.
Along with the Craft Master Grand, Grandstand has an exclusive partnership with Rastal to provide all of the increasingly popular specialty-beer drinkware best suited to different varieties of beer, such as stouts, Belgians and barley wines. They can all be decorated and customized—and of course custom-packaged, fulfilled and shipped.
The other product line that integrates Grandstand’s across-the-board efforts begins with the Grandstand-trademarked phrase “Support Local Beer.” There are 50 different designs, one for each of the 50 states, of T-shirts, coasters and glassware—nothing short of a full merchandise line, naturally—that breweries can provide and sell to promote the concept of local beer in their area.
“ ‘Support Local Beer’ is registered to Grandstand. Anytime you see that somewhere, that’s us,” Christie says.
2017’s marketing plans have included focusing on some other burgeoning craft beverages. Grandstand has compiled glassware and drinkware product lines so it can branch out to coffee shops, cider brewers, distilleries, wineries and soda brewers. Alchemy Coffee House in Lawrence already uses a full line of Grandstand products, such as growlers and glassware, for its coffee and cold-brew products.
Christie says the artisan trend from microbrew beer has spilled over into other beverage categories, with drinkers of all sorts making small batches on a local scale. Grandstand’s products easily translate to those other beverages, as well.
“We believe that we put a superior product out there, and we provide a superior level of service,” Christie says.
Full color organic glassware printer
No Glass Ceilings, Only Glassware
Grandstand works to foster a collaborative environment for all departments. Production for both apparel and glassware decoration runs 120 hours per week. Since moving to East Hills in late 2011, there has been growth in all departments. The Creative Services department, which began in 2013, now has 16 full-time designers. There has also been growth in fulfillment, finishing, technology and e-commerce, marketing and sales.
“There are not a lot of layers here—it’s very flat. In all of our meetings, we have everyone involved, so ideas can come from any department, and they are heard by everyone,” Christie says. “Working at Grandstand is one of the few opportunities you get, no matter what position you get to, to see the impact you have on the company every single day, by seeing people use literally the product you printed.”
New innovative glassware
Sipping on Some Trends
Specialization and specification of certain glasses for certain types of beverages continue to gain in popularity. Grandstand’s partnership with Rastal all but guarantees the growth of that concept.
There are a couple of new trends in glassware decoration that have expanded Grandstand’s capabilities. Glass “nucleation,” or engraving on the inside base of a glass, not only gives drinkers a little design flair at the end of their beverage but also sets off the carbonation in beer to continually distribute vertically in the glass. (Next time you finish a beverage in a restaurant, make sure you notice the bottom of the glass.)
The state of California recently updated Proposition 65, which is designed to prevent toxic chemicals from reaching drinking water. That includes the glass that contains the water. So now, decorated glassware must be printed with only organic ink. Grandstand has adapted an organic formula, made of monomers and pigment, which can be used to decorate its full range of glass products.
Apparel trends include T-shirt hoodies, fitted unisex and female T-shirts, soft fabric sweatshirts and T-shirts with equally soft printing that doesn’t bunch or poke, as well as custom headwear, Christie says.
Raising a Glass to the Community
“A lot of our efforts in Lawrence aren’t necessarily to promote Grandstand,” Christie explains. He lists Grandstand’s involvement with Lawrence Restaurant Week, the Craft Brewers Expo and Lawrence Oktoberfest as examples.
There is also the company’s “Best Places to Work” committee, which meets weekly to figure out how to best be involved in the community. Through that, Grandstand employees have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Lawrence Humane Society, Douglas County CASA, Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center, Van GO Mobile Arts, Boys and Girls Club, March of Dimes, Just Food, Penn House, Ballard Community Services, Lawrence Arts Center and Downtown Lawrence Inc.
122 Comments
Have you achieved my venue earlier than?
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.|
Hello! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this write-up to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!|
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is magnificent blog. A great read. I’ll definitely be back.|
Very nice write-up. I absolutely appreciate this site. Keep it up!
I am really impressed along with your writing skills as smartly as with the format in your blog. Is that this a paid subject or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the excellent quality writing, it?s rare to peer a nice blog like this one today..
You actually make it appear really easy with your presentation however I find this topic to be really something which I believe I’d by no means understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely wide for me. I’m looking ahead in your subsequent post, I will try to get the dangle of it!|
One thing I would like to discuss is that weightloss routine fast may be possible by the right diet and exercise. Your size not only affects the look, but also the actual quality of life. Self-esteem, depressive disorders, health risks, along with physical abilities are afflicted in extra weight. It is possible to make everything right whilst still having a gain. In such a circumstance, a problem may be the root cause. While excessive food rather than enough exercise are usually guilty, common medical conditions and popular prescriptions can certainly greatly help to increase size. I am grateful for your post here.
I think the admin of this site is truly working hard for his website, as here every data is quality based material.|
An additional issue is that video games can be serious anyway with the main focus on finding out rather than fun. Although, there’s an entertainment factor to keep the kids engaged, every game is normally designed to work with a specific set of skills or area, such as mathematics or scientific discipline. Thanks for your posting.
Hi, I do think this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon it
I may revisit once again since i have book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.
Hi there, I do think your blog may be having web browser compatibility issues. When I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in I.E., it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Besides that, fantastic site!
Appreciating the time and effort you put into your website and detailed information you provide. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Wonderful read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Xiaomi 12T Professional is the primary Xiaomi phone with 200 MP camera.
Some are nonetheless with us, though they’ve gone via millions of years of evolutionary changes.
Superb blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused .. Any tips? Bless you!
These days of austerity in addition to relative anxiety about taking on debt, lots of people balk about the idea of employing a credit card in order to make purchase of merchandise as well as pay for any gift giving occasion, preferring, instead only to rely on this tried in addition to trusted technique of making repayment – raw cash. However, if you possess cash there to make the purchase in full, then, paradoxically, that’s the best time for them to use the credit card for several causes.
If the tight spot is on the hinge finish or backside of the door, faucet out the hinge pins with a hammer and screwdriver and set the door on its facet to airplane it.
A drawing of tons would happen before every mini-match to resolve which player plays with the white items.
Working as a jewelry manufacturer who delivers an array of silver jewelry ornaments including Silver Rings for Women, I have realized that relations and contacts can get you through crash crunch business scenarios.
Regular meeting goers will know the importance of creating the time spent across the boardroom table as productive as potential.
The borough of Hitzacker was created as part of the municipal reform in 1972 from ten hitherto impartial parishes.
She is writing a thanks be aware to her Navy boyfriend for sending her a Japanese soldier’s skull as a struggle souvenir.
Thanks for sharing!
Awesome insights!
Very informative!
Nice read!
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three e-mails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Cheers!
There are several types of play: Web play in opposition to dwell opponents, face to face play in opposition to reside opponents, correspondence play, and so on.; and play towards a computer.
Flagstaff can be residence to Arizona’s first industrial solar energy generating station, which was in-built 1997 and provides 87 kW of electricity.
Miller, Hannah (April 1, 2020).
Your style is really unique compared to other people
I have read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you’ve got the
opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this web site.
Thanks for sharing this.
Sex
Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Thank you!|
One other barrier is the lack of entry to psychological health services.
I?ve been exploring for a little bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this info So i am happy to convey that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to don?t forget this web site and give it a look on a constant basis.
Bail is the total greenback amount that a decide requires the defendant or their beloved ones pay in an effort to get them out of jail and waiting at dwelling for their court docket date.
No person desires to pay for peoples’ opinions about products they do not own or use.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your blog.
You have some really great posts and I believe I would be a
good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine.
Please send me an e-mail if interested. Cheers!
Appreciating the dedication you put into your website and in depth information you present. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed information. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Thanks for your post. One other thing is always that individual American states have their particular laws that will affect home owners, which makes it extremely tough for the our elected representatives to come up with a brand new set of recommendations concerning foreclosures on house owners. The problem is that each state possesses own regulations which may interact in an unfavorable manner in relation to foreclosure insurance policies.
Scam
As I web site possessor I believe the content matter here is rattling wonderful , appreciate it for your efforts. You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.
New members also receive a menu plan, a catalog of products, a food diary, a weight chart, a web based weekly publication, and a few different goodies to get them started.
Tornado Cash – Best Crypto Platform for Protects Your Crypto in 2025
Aw, this was a very nice post. In thought I would like to put in writing like this moreover ? taking time and actual effort to make an excellent article? however what can I say? I procrastinate alot and not at all appear to get something done.
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read anything like this before. So good to seek out anyone with some unique thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for beginning this up. this web site is one thing that is wanted on the net, somebody with just a little originality. helpful job for bringing one thing new to the web!
That is why most experienced Savannah cat homeowners only let their cats outdoors if there’s a good leash at hand.
Freeware is software program that is entirely unrestricted for copying and downloading (but you would not have access to the code, in contrast to open-supply freeware).
Well explained, thanks!
Thanks for breaking it down.
여행지
Thanks for breaking it down.
Good day! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured
I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa?
My website covers a lot of the same topics as yours and I think we could greatly benefit
from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free to send me an e-mail.
I look forward to hearing from you! Excellent blog by the way!
Super useful, thanks!
Really helpful info!
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was once a amusement
account it. Glance complex to far introduced agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we keep in touch?
That is very attention-grabbing, You are an excessively professional blogger.
I have joined your rss feed and stay up for in search of extra of your fantastic post.
Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks
Loved the tips here!
Tornado Cash – Best Crypto Platform for Protects Your Crypto in 2025
Hurrah, that’s what I was exploring for, what a material!
present here at this weblog, thanks admin of this web site.
How to Swap Tokens on ApeSwap: A Complete Guide 2025
Hey there, You have done an incredible job. I will certainly digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this site.|
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100 certain. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I?ve recently started a blog, the info you provide on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems
of plagorism or copyright violation? My site has
a lot of completely unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a
lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my authorization. Do you
know any solutions to help reduce content from being ripped off?
I’d certainly appreciate it.
It’s genuinely very complex in this busy life to listen news on TV, thus I simply use world wide web for that purpose, and get the latest news.|
Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever
have any problems with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing a few months of hard work
due to no backup. Do you have any solutions to stop hackers?
I have been surfing online greater than three hours as of late, yet I by no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours. It?s beautiful value sufficient for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you probably did, the web shall be much more useful than ever before.
Heya! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my
new iphone 4! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Keep up the great work!
This helped me a ton.
Pretty great post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I’ve truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. In any case I?ll be subscribing for your feed and I am hoping you write once more very soon!
Thanks for breaking it down.
It’s wonderful that you are getting thoughts from
this post as well as from our argument made at this time.
Many payday lenders additionally require you to have a checking account as a result of it is an easy method for them to verify that you have a regular earnings, and so they can draft the repayment funds once they’re due.
Great paintings! This is the kind of information that are meant to be shared across the web. Disgrace on Google for now not positioning this submit higher! Come on over and seek advice from my web site . Thanks =)
Great article.
Thanks for your write-up. Another factor is that being a photographer will involve not only difficulties in taking award-winning photographs but hardships in establishing the best digital camera suited to your requirements and most especially situations in maintaining the caliber of your camera. This really is very correct and apparent for those photography lovers that are into capturing the particular nature’s exciting scenes — the mountains, the particular forests, the particular wild or maybe the seas. Going to these amazing places undoubtedly requires a video camera that can live up to the wild’s hard area.
Useful info. Lucky me I found your website accidentally, and I am shocked why this twist of fate didn’t came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
Thanks for giving your ideas right here. The other point is that when a problem arises with a computer motherboard, individuals should not have some risk connected with repairing this themselves for if it is not done properly it can lead to irreparable damage to the entire laptop. It’s usually safe to approach the dealer of any laptop for that repair of motherboard. They have technicians that have an expertise in dealing with mobile computer motherboard troubles and can get the right prognosis and carry out repairs.
As non-profits, credit score unions usually have low working prices, which may mean better interest charges.
Evidently cauliflower may be traced to the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea.
How to Swap Tokens on ApeSwap: A Complete Guide 2025
Tornado Cash – Best Crypto Platform for Protects Your Crypto in 2025
How to Swap Tokens on ApeSwap: A Complete Guide 2025
Excellent blog you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get comments from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thank you!|
Hey there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no back up. Do you have any methods to stop hackers?|
WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching
for Tollywood Box Office Collection
you have an important blog right here! would you like to make some invite posts on my weblog?
On 21st May 2012, SEBI notified the Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) Regulations bringing all privately pooled investment funds under one roof (except Mutual Funds and Collective Investment Schemes).
How to Swap Tokens on ApeSwap: A Complete Guide 2025
Wonderful work! That is the type of info that are supposed to be shared across the web.
Shame on Google for not positioning this put up higher!
Come on over and consult with my web site . Thank you =)
How to Swap Tokens on ApeSwap: A Complete Guide 2025
Everything is very open with a really clear explanation of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is very helpful. Many thanks for sharing.
I have noticed that over the course of creating a relationship with real estate entrepreneurs, you’ll be able to come to understand that, in each and every real estate transaction, a commission rate is paid. Ultimately, FSBO sellers do not “save” the commission payment. Rather, they try to win the commission simply by doing a great agent’s job. In doing so, they commit their money and time to complete, as best they’re able to, the tasks of an broker. Those duties include displaying the home by way of marketing, offering the home to buyers, building a sense of buyer desperation in order to trigger an offer, arranging home inspections, taking on qualification inspections with the lender, supervising fixes, and assisting the closing.
A good thing, then, that dealers obeyed another Saturn commandment: Thou shall not gouge.
Property values just hit a 36 year low – summer of 2010.
Hence, the use of these technologies will open some potential for real estate activities that can help you make a more informed choice.
Every passing day, people who are new to cryptocurrencies are getting aware of this virtual Gold and are preparing for their plunge.
Tornado Cash – Best Crypto Platform for Protects Your Crypto in 2025
Good article. It is extremely unfortunate that over the last one decade, the travel industry has already been able to to handle terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, bird flu virus, swine flu, and also the first ever true global economic downturn. Through all of it the industry has proven to be robust, resilient plus dynamic, getting new solutions to deal with difficulty. There are often fresh challenges and the opportunity to which the market must again adapt and react.
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say superb blog!
Can I simply say what a reduction to seek out someone who truly is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You positively know how you can deliver a difficulty to mild and make it important. More individuals need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant imagine youre not more popular since you undoubtedly have the gift.
I used to be able to find good info from your articles.
Yesterday, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a 30 foot drop, just so she
can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now destroyed and she has 83
views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back in the future. All the best
How to Swap Tokens on ApeSwap: A Complete Guide 2025
I have realized that online education is getting common because getting your degree online has developed into popular method for many people. A lot of people have not really had a possible opportunity to attend a traditional college or university nonetheless seek the elevated earning possibilities and a better job that a Bachelor Degree affords. Still other people might have a degree in one course but would wish to pursue anything they now possess an interest in.
There’s certainly a great deal to know about this issue. I like all the points you
made.
What’s up to every one, the contents existing at this web site are genuinely remarkable for people experience, well, keep up the nice work fellows.|
I pay a quick visit daily a few web pages and information sites
to read content, except this website provides feature based
content.
I think that is among the most vital information for me.
And i’m satisfied reading your article. But wanna remark on few
basic things, The web site style is wonderful, the articles is really great :
D. Good activity, cheers
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your website and
in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed
account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.
What a information of un-ambiguity and preserveness of
valuable knowledge regarding unexpected feelings.
I don’t even understand how I stopped up right here, however I thought this submit used to be good. I don’t recognise who you might be however definitely you are going to a well-known blogger in case you aren’t already. Cheers!|
Hi there are using WordPress for your site platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you require any html coding knowledge to make your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!|
Very easy to follow.
Really dug this post.
Sharing this now!
Mind blown!
Well structured and clear.