Portland cyclist opens ‘Heart’

PORTLAND – Chris Chapman wants everyone to ride bikes. And he hopes some of them, at least, ride around wearing his Oregon-branded jerseys.

Chapman, a die-hard cyclist and apparel professional, recently started a bike sportswear company, “It’s in my Heart.” The startup makes recreational cycling apparel whose central design feature is Chapman’s interpretation of the locally famous green heart-in-Oregon sticker created by Portlander Chris Bucci.

Chapman’s startup is just the latest bike-based business in bike-crazy Portland. But he believes he’s found a niche that will help distinguish “Heart” in a saturated business space.

“I’m after the Average Joe cyclist who likes to represent their state,” said Chapman, 50. “My stuff isn’t for the hardcore cyclists though technically, it’s got a lot of good technical features. It’s made to look good and made to make people feel good wearing it.”

Chapman may want to make apparel for the ordinary jock but his background is that of the hardcore cyclist. He’s raced a lot – road, short track, cyclo-cross and mountain biking. He’s worked as a bike messenger, too.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Chapman moved to Portland in 1986. He graduated from Bassist College, now known as the Art Institute of Portland, with a degree in apparel design.

Chapman said he’s been most challenged by the startup ethos – the satisfaction of creating something and seeing it grow and flourish.

The recession helped provide the opportunity to start out on his own when, in recent years, his work became more freelance and consulting based. But what kind of startup?

For starters, it had to be related to sports apparel, Chapman said. That’s the business he knows and loves. It also had to have a distinguishing feature in a competitive sportswear apparel market.

Chapman started his company in January. He had some savings and a line of credit. But he didn’t feel confident about a design focus for the apparel.

Chapman kept seeing Bucci’s ubiquitous Oregon sticker design around town. He also read a story about him. He didn’t know Bucci but he wanted to use Bucci’s design in his apparel company.

“When you start a company, you need a punch,” said Chapman. “Something that’s not new, something people have seen before and like.”

Chapman contacted Bucci and arranged to meet him for coffee to pitch his idea. In April, a deal was struck: Chapman would pay a royalty fee based on sales to Bucci every quarter for the use of his design.

Currently, Chapman’s interpretation of Bucci’s design can be found on cycling jerseys and socks. Eventually, the company will carry other cycling gear and accessories. Chapman has also created apparel based on Bucci’s heart designs for other states, including Texas, Washington and Florida.

Chapman does most everything on his own except make the apparel, which is manufactured in Colombia, and ship online orders, which is handled through a fulfillment center contracted in Milwaukie, Ore. Doing things on his own has pushed him to exhaust all of his contacts from years in the business – sales representatives, marketing experts and so on.

So far, Chapman said, he’s sold about 600 jerseys, mostly in Portland. He sees plenty of opportunities for growth.

Chapman, who is married with four children, said he dreams of growing “Heart” into a company with annual revenues of $10-20 million and a staff of around 20 people. He doesn’t have aspirations of selling or exiting his business should it expand and become successful. He wants to keep it in the family.

“I’d like to create something,” he said, “that I’d pass on down to my kids.”