NORWICH – When the owners of The Label Gallery, Chris and Anna Ulatowski, purchased the Gee Wilikers Kids Clothing building on Lee Avenue, they knew it was going to take a lot of work to renovate. However, with the help of HGH Construction, after only five months, the Ulatowskis were able to move from the building they were renting on State Street to the new Lee Avenue location.

The Label Gallery has been locally owned and operated in Norwich for almost 14 years. The business, which prints labels and other materials for retailers and local merchants, has been growing at a steady rate – 15 percent in 2005 and 20 percent so far this year.

“We’re only limited by the employee base,” Chris said. He kept on two employees who previously worked at Gee Wilikers and plans to hire three to five more as soon as possible. He explained his difficulty finding employees with a good work ethic. No experience is necessary, because Chris and Anna personally train new employees. They promote from within, and most of their supervisors and sales representatives started in minimum wage positions.

The Ulatowskis are also in the process of negotiating prices for additional equipment. The new building has room for at least three more printing presses.