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Local Business Has and Would Again Make Team USA Outfits

Posted: 8:21 PM Aug 1, 2012
Reporter: Michael Gossum

It's a wall full of a familiar faces.

"A lot of the workers here have been with us for 33 years, and they can probably sew with their eyes closed," said Caught Ya Lookin Store Owner, Rose Pharris.

Now those familiar faces are all that's left after a once booming business went from 500 employees to only 20.

Caught Ya Lookin in Leitchfield was once a very lucrative clothing maker for Ralph Lauren for nearly 20 years, but had their jobs shipped away so the clothes could be made cheaper.

"We have to charge a higher price because the minimum wage is higher. We can't compete at all with China. The only way we can compete is to have high quality goods and that's what we do," said Pharris.

A similar problem is likely what caused the us to ship its outfit maker for the 2012 Olympics overseas to China.

However, Pharris said she would have loved to made clothes for the Olympic team, since they've already done it once for team USA in the eighties.

"If it was for the Olympics, we would've given it to them, they wouldn't have had to pay for them. That would've been something wonderful to have done for your country," said Pharris.

Now Pharris said it's much tougher to compete, which is why she says her business has changed over the years.

One thing that hasn't changed for her, is the familiar team, that helps put that made in the USA on the tag.

Caught Ya Lookin made for Ralph Lauren from 1979 to 1998, and as Pharris said they would've gladly made one more time for them for the 2012 games, and they still make clothing for their brand Caught Ya Lookin to be sold nationwide.