artstrings Inc was founded in 1977 in the home of its first owner and president, Peggy Hart Earle. Armed with a design background and the desire to work on her own, Peggy personally sold her five piece girl s clothing line to area retailers willing to look at her samples. In the next few years Peggy s husband Bruce, a CPA, joined the Hartstrings clothing business full-time. They hired a sales representative in New York to help expand distribution of their clothes. By 1983, Hartstrings sales exceeded $1.3 million and a move into new office space was necessary. By 1985, Hartstrings kids clothing sales were over $5 million, all of which was generated in girl s merchandise sizes 2T-14. A major gap still existed in the boys clothing market for better classic sportswear similar in feel to Hartstrings. In fall 1986, a clothing collection called Hartstrings Boy clothing was introduced in sizes 2T 7, causing clothes sales in the first season to reflect nearly 1 million dollars. The boy s clothing line was then expanded to include sizes 8 and 10 in 1998. Business for Hartstrings Boy has grown to represent nearly 30% of the company s wholesale business. At the urging and request of many Hartstrings customers to fill a need of infant clothes for boys and girls, Hartstrings expanded even further. Hartstrings Baby was introduced for spring 1992, offering infant clothing for 3 24 months. In 1993, Hartstrings boy s clothing was expanded to include sizes 12 and 14. In spring 1997, Hartstrings introduced its first new division in four and a half years, k.c. parker, and girls clothing sizes 7 to 16. Over the years, Hartstrings offers a clothing collection for boys and girls that offer a modern feel, without sacrificing comfortable clothing for kids.