"Always over-deliver and under-promise."
That's the motto co-owners Steve Horton and Chris Byrd teach their employees at Pro Image in Cottonwood Mall.
The store, which opened Oct. 11, sells sports apparel, including jerseys, hats, T-shirts and professional and college sporting goods.
Byrd, who graduated from UNM in 2002 with a bachelor's in marketing, said he and his colleague first tried their hands at Coronado Mall but were unsuccessful.
Horton, who has a degree in marketing from NMSU, said competition made it difficult to bring Pro Image to Albuquerque.
Still, Horton said he and his partner are moving forward from the setback and look to embody professionalism at Pro Image.
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"Our goal is to give the people of Albuquerque options," he said. "What I mean by that is that we are trying to let every person in Albuquerque know that there is more than a couple of places to go and shop for sports apparel."
Byrd said Pro Image will stand out from its competitors in subtle ways.
"I think one of the biggest things is customer service," he said. "Our customer service is going to be above and beyond anybody that competes with us. Another big thing is, Steve and I, we are the buyers. We pick what we buy, and we can get it in faster than anybody else. We're not buying for a 100 stores; we're buying for one store. We're buying for the customers."
Despite the economic downturn that could leave some consumers without the disposable income to buy sports memorabilia and apparel, Horton said being business savvy is half the battle.
"Chris and I have had these discussions in the past," he said. "Personally, I don't think there's a better time (to open a store). We're not in this for the holidays. We're not in this to make quick money. We're in this long term."
Sports are universal, and Pro Image is moderately priced, so the store will survive, Horton said.
"Whether you're rich or you're poor, anybody can come into our store, and with a $5 bill, they can walk out with something," he said.
Experience helps, too, and Horton and Byrd said they have plenty of it. They have 17 years' combined experience working for Fanzz in Coronado Mall.
Two of Pro Image's workers - Vinnie Perea and Will Hopkinson - were previously employed at Fanzz before deciding to jump ship.
"Part of everything we do is by design," Horton said. "I'm a very competitive person. I know talent when I see it. And the unfortunate thing is I didn't snag them or nab them; they chose. They had an option."
Hopkinson said Pro Image is a better environment to work in than other sports stores.
"The main difference is that we don't have goals that we have to live by," Hopkinson said. "(Horton) just challenges us to put money through the register."
Horton and Byrd said they want to a create personable atmosphere in their store.
Perea said he responds to that type of managerial style.
"We're individuals, not robots," he said.
