J. Scott Welles, a descendant of the Carson, Pirie and Scott Department Store chain in Chicago, established Caravan Fashions, Inc., in 1972. Scott promptly hired Betty Jester, who had worked with him previously.

Caravan was originally started as a distributor of career apparel for groups. This was during the time of the first mini-skirts and hip-huggers and employers were still very much in the conservative mode of business dress. Career apparel programs, then and now, are used to control dress code and furnish an employee benefit.

In the early 80’s, the sources for purchasing career apparel were disappearing so Caravan began their own manufacturing operation. Betty ordered a cutting table and cutting knife having never seen either before. She also went to Reading, Pennsylvania and bought a semi-truckload of apparel from a supplier who was closing. Caravan didn’t have a warehouse for this merchandise. Betty’s husband Jack hurriedly rented a warehouse and put up racks using chain link fence components.

In 1982, Betty and Scott negotiated a buy-sell agreement and Scott and his wife retired to Colorado. Caravan had a warehouse full of obsolete inventory, debt (including the buy-sell contract) and large bank loans. Interest rates went to 20+ percent. Betty’s banker told her there was no way she would make it. She had $17,000 in the bank.

At that time the largest user of career apparel in Florida, Southeast Banks, was making appointments for their new apparel program totaling approximately $500,000. Caravan had previously done all the servicing for other vendors but never sold the account. A hard-core New Yorker was the purchasing agent. Betty convinced him to allow Caravan to present as a Vendor. After Caravan was awarded the contract, Betty informed him she could only produce if he anted up with a large deposit. For once a southerner out bluffed a New Yorker.

This was the beginning of growth and prosperity for Caravan. The next year, Betty fired her previous banker and took her business elsewhere.

In 1983 Betty’s husband Jack once again entered the picture. They purchased two lots in Auburndale, Florida, their longtime hometown and Jack designed and supervised the building of a new home for Caravan Fashions. Caravan was to prosper in this location for 10 years, selling apparel programs across the United States and some in the Caribbean.

In 1989 Jack bought a building in South Alabama and began manufacturing there also. Higher quantities of merchandise were produced in Alabama, where trained labor was available and smaller reorders still done in Florida.

By 1992 non-stop traveling and the pressures of a small business were taking their toll. Jack was in Alabama most of the time. Betty was anywhere in the U.S. Their first grandchild was born. It was time to reassess.

Betty chose to change the direction of Caravan, and rather than cut to order, began to sell corporate apparel programs off the rack. Employers would give their employees an interest-free loan with payroll deductions. Jack and Betty would arrive in an RV stripped down and filled with racks of clothing. All clothing was business appropriate and washable, in a full size range.

Jack and Betty pursued this for four years. However, though they were having a lot of fun, the volume was not sufficient to maintain production facilities. The Auburndale and Alabama buildings were put up for sale.

Jacque, their daughter, encouraged them to consider retail clothing. In 1996 they opened two ladies retail clothing store in Auburndale and Lakeland, Florida, while Betty continued to promote direct sales. Jack went back to his original trade, building construction.

In 2001, time constraints forced Betty to make a choice between retail and direct sales. Direct sales were her first love, so she decided to close the retail stores and concentrate on selling Corporate Clothing Programs to businesses around the country. Betty now represents Reflections of Dallas in Florida and the Southeast United States. She also markets in-stock lines of apparel like Ingenuity, Christian Brooks, and Hardwick, to individuals and corporations. She has sold these lines for over 35 years and knows their quality, service and prices are the best available.