After 20 years, this Detroit creative business is finding new ways to reinvent itself

When Bethany Shorb, founder of Cyberoptix Tie Lab and Well Done Goods, launched her creative business 20 years ago, the focus was relatively specific: unconventional neckwear for people who wanted something a little different.

Today, the Detroit-based business looks considerably different. Its product offerings have expanded to include apparel, jewelry, accessories and Detroit-inspired gifts. Its sister retail business, Well Done Goods, has become an Eastern Market destination, while wholesale partnerships have expanded its reach to retailers and gift shops across the region.

The businesses are marking significant milestones this year, with Cyberoptix Tie Lab celebrating its 20th anniversary and Well Done Goods marking 10 years in business.

But the growth has required Shorb to continually rethink what she makes, where she sells it and how she operates.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented one of the biggest challenges. With weddings, special events, music festivals and museum stores shutting down, several of the company’s important sales channels disappeared almost simultaneously.

Shorb pivoted to producing Alien-inspired face masks, bringing sewing operations in-house while navigating fabric shortages. At one point, she recalled transporting hundreds of yards of material on a motorcycle after sourcing it in Los Angeles.

“I pivoted to making masks, and I hated every second of it,” said Shorb in a press release.

The experience reinforced a lesson that continues to shape the company’s business strategy: adaptability is essential to survival.

“The pandemic definitely taught us that we have to always be nimble and ready to pivot either product or operations directions or both; to ‘fire’ products or sales channels that are not earning their keep,” said Shorb.

While some traditional sales channels have recovered, others have not. Shorb said attendance at off-site events has largely failed to return to pre-pandemic levels. Rising vendor costs, unpredictable weather and the potential for damaged inventory have also made participating in outdoor festivals a greater financial risk.

The businesses have since scaled back their event commitments, maintaining participation in select festivals such as Movement, Tec-Troit, Motor City Pride and Ferndale Pride. Instead, Shorb is putting more energy into wholesale partnerships and expanding the company’s presence in gift shops.

Products are now available through the Detroit Historical Museum’s shops, Meijer’s Rivertown Market and three gift shops across both terminals at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The company also continues to supply independent boutiques and bookstores while rebuilding relationships with museum stores nationwide.

The shift has allowed the business to make use of its unique setup in Eastern Market, where the retail storefront operates below its manufacturing space.

“Operating a hybrid retail store and manufacturing space in the same building facilitates this shift toward non-retail pursuits,” said Shorb.

The workshop also produces items for other retailers and offers small-batch contract printing for record labels and organizations. That work helps keep production moving even on weekdays when foot traffic in the Eastern Market neighborhood is slower.

The evolution of the product line has been just as important.

When Shorb opened Well Done Goods 10 years ago, she recognized that building a storefront around the unconventional neckties that initially established Cyberoptix would limit its potential.

“We knew that building a store around what we’d been making for a decade, a store that sold only offbeat, artsy, nerdy neckties, was a recipe for total disaster,” said Shorb.

The physical storefront gave the business an opportunity to experiment with more accessible products, including printed T-shirts, hoodies and hats.

More recently, the company has found new opportunities in bolo ties, pairing its interest in rocks, minerals and natural history with growing consumer enthusiasm for Western-inspired fashion.

Michigan materials such as Petoskey Stone and Fordite have become part of the company’s bolo tie collections, which are complemented by gemstone accessories including lapel pins, brooches, cufflinks and tie tacks.

The new collections have also helped Cyberoptix expand its presence in retail accounts that previously carried only traditional fabric ties.

Detroit itself remains an important source of inspiration. Shorb incorporates architectural blueprints, industrial remnants and everyday elements of the city’s infrastructure into her designs.

The company’s streetwear printing process, which involves printing garments directly on iron manhole covers, has attracted significant attention online. Videos of the process have generated nearly 15 million views across social media.

Despite its Detroit roots, Cyberoptix has maintained a national and international customer base since its early days selling online. Shorb said the company has shipped products to all seven continents, including a research station in Antarctica.

“We don’t want to limit ourselves by only being a brand about Detroit,” said Shorb. “We do, however, enjoy making some of Detroit’s most unique souvenirs for those who do visit on weekends and want to take a little piece of Detroit home.”

Today, the two businesses employ approximately 17 people in full- and part-time positions across production, shipping, online customer service and retail operations. Shorb said the company does not outsource its work, including online customer service.

She also maintains a commitment to human creativity in the production process, expressing opposition to the use of generative artificial intelligence in visual arts and written work.

As the businesses enter their next decade, Shorb is focused on expanding wholesale operations, diversifying products available through existing retail partners and exploring additional opportunities for the company’s higher-end, one-of-a-kind gemstone jewelry.

For an independent creative business that has spent two decades adapting to changing customer preferences and an evolving retail landscape, the next chapter will require much of the same: knowing when to hold on to what works and when to try something new.

Cyberoptix Tie Lab and Well Done Goods will celebrate their respective anniversaries with two days of events Nov. 13-14 at Well Done Goods in Eastern Market. The celebration begins Friday, Nov. 13, with a public cocktail gathering from 6 to 9 p.m. at their storefront. The festivities continue Saturday during Eastern Market’s market day with a retrospective gallery wall featuring photos of customers, friends and others wearing Cyberoptix designs, as well as a commemorative limited-edition object.