‘Are you nuts?’

La Salle-Peru native Debbie Miller picked, operates successful business

Story and photos

by Brandon LaChance

When Debbie Miller’s daughter, Ali Mae, asked, ‘Are you nuts?’ when her mother proposed the idea of buying Uniforms Etc, Debbie thought, ‘Maybe.’

Whether the idea was a little outside of the box or came from left field, the business endeavor has proven to be a smart, prosperous, successful move for Miller, who was born and raised in La Salle and Peru.

“It was a very well-established business. The uniforms have been in the area for approximately 50 years,” said Miller, who now lives in Oglesby and has two daughters, Lindsey and Ali Mae. “I think I am the fourth owner of the business. It wasn’t like I came into the industry starting from ground zero. I bought the name, the product, and the phone number from Betty Nawa, who had owned it for 20 years.”

“It was a smooth transition. On a Friday night, she closed, and I had trucks and vans lined up to move the store from 637 2nd St. to where the store is now at 637 1st St.”

Selling scrubs to nurses, doctors, veterinarians, and other health care professionals, as well as embroidered items, tote bags, baby items, wedding merchandise, tumblers, medical accessories, and shoes, was not Miller’s first desired profession or original intended way of making a living.

Miller graduated from beauty school because she wanted to do hair. She also earned an associate degree from Illinois Valley Community College in criminal justice because she wanted to work with and help kids.

The go-getter also managed Disc Jockey in the Peru Mall, began an embroidery business in her home in 1995 (which is still active), and went back to IVCC in 2002 and transferred to Sauk Valley Community College to obtain the education to run X-rays. She worked for two doctors in Peru before owning Uniforms Etc.

Actually, needing shoes to give x-rays in the doctors’ offices is what brought Miller to Uniforms Etc as a customer. She came away with the knowledge that Nawa wanted to sell and the idea that her daughter thought was nuts.

“My business saw success and benefited when work to downtown La Salle started. When I first came here, I think there were only four or five stores on 1st St.,” said Miller. “When Jeff Grove became mayor, it just seemed like he changed everything. He did an awesome job.”

“I belong to La Salle Business Association and the

La Salle Chamber of Commerce. I feel like La Salle businesses have a great support system behind them. Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday, is always huge, and it’s because the community supports it.”

Being a woman business owner hasn’t always been easy. Miller has grown a thick skin as she makes sure business partners are operating ethically, customers understand the importance of shopping locally instead of on the internet, and of course, the Covid-19 backlash.

“As a woman, it is a disadvantage. Sometimes I feel sorry for the people who have to deal with me because if I know someone is trying to pull something over on me, I get even stronger,” she said. “I think women have to be very strong in the business world. We have to set our goals, and we have to stick with those goals.”

“We have to have a mindset of knowing we’re going to encounter issues and that we can overcome them. The companies I work with have been pretty good, but every once in a while, I run across something I know shouldn’t be the way that it is. You have to be very assertive,” she said. “Women who own a successful business are a different breed. We’re not a little mouse sitting in the corner; that doesn’t cut it.”

One part of making sure partners are operating ethically starts with an invoice.

“You have to watch your invoices. You have to watch what you’re being charged for items. You have to watch your shipping costs,” Miller said. “You have to watch everything. But I think it’s a sign of the times in our society. It’s just the way that it is. I actually sit and read my bills. I study my bills. I’ve found many mistakes where companies were overcharging me.”

The tough-minded business owner demands fairness. Over the years, being a woman business owner has become fairer in Miller’s eyes.

“I think it’s easier now because more females are starting businesses. We’re being more accepted in starting a business,” Miller said. “If you look at downtown La Salle, there are more and more females owning businesses. I think women want more than just sitting in an office. We want more, and we’re going after it. You have to go after it because nothing comes to you; you have to go to it.”

“The uniform industry has changed drastically since I first started. I keep saying it’s the hospitals and the nursing homes that are dictating the uniform industry. A print scrub top at an agency is becoming less and less. Every place of medical industry employment is moving to solid colors in both the pants and tops,” she said. “They’re also doing color coding. CNAs will wear one color, LPNs another color, and so on. The prints are less and less every year.”

Whether you’re looking for scrubs, shoes, or a stethoscope, Miller will greet you with a smile and help you find anything you need.

“One of the main reasons I bought the business was to take care of my customers and help the medical industry in our area,” she said.

Above: Uniforms Etc offers scrubs and uniformed clothing for medical workers, including nurses, doctors, veterinarians, and dentists, as well as medical accessories, tumblers, embroidered items, shoes, baby items, wedding merchandise, and more.

Right: Medical professionals bored with ordinary scrubs will find a large assortment to choose from at Uniforms Etc.