Business Q&A: LOL Trends

Confused by the incomprehensible characters your children text back and forth to each other on a daily basis? Don’t know your LOL from your OMG? Then there’s a fun and hip clothing company that might be able to help you out.

LOL Trends, a web-based Bellmore company started in December 2009, unites the two great loves of the modern, school-age, young lady: Clothing and cell phone culture.

Owner Rebecca recently spoke to Patch about this unique business that she’s guiding down the pathway of success.

Tell us about what you do there at LOL Trends.

We take text message lingo and put it on trendy apparel. Since everyone has a phone, everyone is texting, so it’s become a pretty popular thing to wear the lingo on the clothing. The kids have really been enjoying it and the moms have been enjoying it too, since the prices are so low.

Text-speak is constantly evolving. How do you stay on top of the latest trends?

I rely on my children and their friends! They keep me up-to-date. Plus, I try to keep my self in the loop by constantly researching on the internet.

What kind of apparel do you offer?

Tank tops and sweatshirts are the most popular right now and I have summer clothes coming out soon, like capri pants. Denny’s Children’s Wear, which has 11 or 12 locations, now carries my full line of clothing.

As for printing, I have a team of screen printers here on Long Island, which I’m proud to say. I think it’s important to keep jobs on Long Island and I always try to support that.

I also have texting gloves – the thumb and pointer fingers have caps on them that flip off so you can text. They’re held in place by magents. When you’re not texting, you simply flip them back on and they keep your whole hands warm. In addition to my website, a store called Inmotion currently carries them, which has locations in Merrick and Syosset.

What gave you the idea for this type of business?

Basically, my kids motivated me. My daughter’s the number one shopper in the world, and my son is heavily into computers, so I just sort of married the two concepts.

What do you like about owning and operating a business in the Merrick area?

The support that I’ve received has been overwhelming. I donate to several local charities. My theory is that, if you’re making a salary, you should give back by making a donation. But everyone here was so friendly and supportive when I started, and that helped tremendously.