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"George' models one of Speedway Team Wear's custom firesuits.

Photo by Jay Thompson

Speedway Monogramming Expanding Product Line


(posted Jan 14)

Little did Susan Luebbert know that when she started Speedway Monogramming 27 years ago that she was carrying out her grandfather's dream. Speedway Monogramming has been serving the racing industry at 4601 W. 16th Street since 1983.

It was after she started the business that she learned from her father that her deceased grandfather had always wanted to be in the monogramming business. Her grandfather made woven wool labels and the interior of Stetson hats at his location in the garment district in New York City.

"I feel like he watches over me," she said. Susan described it as "eerie" that she selected a business that her grandfather always wanted to pursue without her knowledge of it.

She said her grandfather would have been proud when the Old Navy Race Team decided to display 25 of her crafted racing shirts in Georgia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago and on 5th Avenue in New York.

Susan has not limited the business enterprise to monogramming. Susan and her husband Jim started Speedway Team Wear to make up for the bigger manufacturers' slow turnaround time for small orders. She now makes custom fitted flame retardant racing uniforms. The family owned business also sells other racing products.

Susan has also delved into the handbag business because of her intriguing curiosity with Vera Bradley Bags. Luebbert now has introduced her own design called the Bayfield Bag Co. She named the bag line after a friend's' estate,  Bayfield Hall, located in England.

Susan has also been instrumental in starting a business crime watch effort with Speedway Assistant Police Chief Joel Rush. Rush said he has been thinking about organizing one for the last two years , but credited Luebbert's request to help organize a crime watch for The Speedway Merchants Association for putting it in gear. On January 10, the merchants had their first organizational meeting with Rush.