Mostly Memories hires Hagale workers

Two days after Hagale In-dustries announced the closing of its Ozark clothing plant, Tricia Derges, president and chief executive officer of Most-ly Memories, got word from home shopping giant QVC that her company had received the next "Today's Special Value" spot.

What that means for Mostly Memories, a manufacturer of candles, scented cards and bath and body products, is more work and in a hurry.

Derges immediately began seeking applications from former Hagale employees. With the help of Ozark Mayor Donna McQuay and city hall, more than 30 applications have been received since Aug. 24. Many of the applicants, Derges said, have begun working.

"We opened up our city hall chambers and handed out the applications," McQuay said. "We were just thrilled to death to be able to help do that."

Derges said she plans on hiring 50 new employees to manufacture the products that will be sold on home shopping network QVC, which airs lo-cally on Mediacom cable Channel 37.

Derges said Mostly Memories, at 1420 W. Skyline Ave. in Ozark, has been working with QVC since November 2000. It is a relationship that began with a bang.

The first time her company's products appeared on QVC, Derges sold 6,000 pie candles in three minutes. Since then, she said, she usually goes through 5,000 to 8,000 products in three to five minutes.

The "Today's Special Value" placement, Derges said, means the station will showcase her product for 10 minutes every four hours for 24 hours. The product of choice for Derges is a 21-piece holiday candle set, which she's told is scheduled to appear between Thanks-giving Day and Dec. 1.

She said Mostly Memories is also in the midst of making 33,000 cinnamon roll candles for an airing during the third week of September. One shipment of cinnamon roll candles already has been sent to QVC's warehouse in Philadel-phia. The holiday candle sets must arrive by Nov. 1.

"It's been a true blessing for the company in terms of timing with what's going on in the area," Derges said of the sudden turn of events. "If everybody helps in the area, (the former Hagale employees) could be taken care of."

Another Ozark company, Third Street Sportswear Manufacturing Inc. at 1106 S. Third St., also is hiring some of those left jobless by the plant closing. Plant Manager Keith Holland said that the sewing company, which manufactures sportswear products for college bookstores across the nation, already has hired four former Hagale employees out of 10 applications received.

"They fit in well," he said. "We do sew a little bit different product, but if you're a sewing operator, you can pick up usually a lot faster than somebody who hasn't been in the industry, of course."

He said the company, which employs about 200 total, including a second plant in Houston, plans to hire four more people this month.

Derges said the 50 new employees will give Mostly Memories around 150 total, comprising 50 in the office and warehouses, 25 to 30 home-based workers and a varying number of workers from 10 to 40 from Nixa's Sheltered Workshop. Each individual is needed, she said, because everything is made by hand.

"The top guarantee of quality is that it's handmade," she said. "We've invested into people instead of machines. ... As long as we have these types of numbers from QVC, we have to have the people."

Mostly Memories also ships to all 50 states and 17 countries and has private label agreements with names like Betty Boop, Hershey, Precious Moments, Louise Mandrell, Cypress Gardens, Shoji Tabuchi, Chateau on the Lake, Dollywood, artists Greg Olsen and Ted Blaylock, Joy Marie, Silver Dollar City and Callie Ashton.