Building A Legacy of Quality Clerical Garments

My father, Robert E. Gaspard was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He came from a family that was manufacturing vestments and other clerical garments (Gaspard and Sons) for churches all over Canada and the USA so when he decided he wanted to start his own company and move to the US, it wasn’t a far fetched plan by any means.

He set his sights on Milwaukee, WI - a much more affordable option than Chicago and in 1954 The Robert Gaspard, Co opened up shop, with Robert visiting churches from Milwaukee to Chicago and all spots in between as the only salesperson with 3 or 4 employees working out of the Gaspard residence. Soon after opening though, business began to thrive and the company outgrew their home workspace and started sewing in a building located near downtown Milwaukee where Robert Gaspard, Co would call home for 21 years!

I have very fond memories of that old building - I would often go with my father to work where I would do small tasks like sweeping the floor, emptying out the garbage, or helping make boxes to ship clerical goods to our customers but I also learned a lot of lessons about business. I would get an allowance on a weekly basis and I could spend it any way I wanted. However, I usually had to use it on sodas and snacks that I’d eat and drink during the week; when it would come time to get my allowance he would say, “Ok this is what you earned this week but you had 5 bags of chips and 7 sodas. After you pay for those, here’s what you have left …” And that’s how I learned that nothing comes for free.

Robert Gaspard, Co Moves to Brookfield, WI

In 1978 our family moved to Brookfield, Wisconsin and in 1979 the business moved into its present and permanent home at 200 N. Janacek Rd. At that time there were a total of 10 employees, many of them being with the company for many years had come along to Brookfield (about 18 miles from the old location in Milwaukee). Since there were no city buses transporting passengers to Brookfield at that time, Robert purchased a passenger van and would transport his employees to and from work. He knew that without his loyal crew of employees that The Robert Gaspard, Co. would not exist so he didn’t think twice about being transportation for his workers. My father was a good man; he treated everybody fairly and with the utmost respect.

Keeping it in the Family

A few years later, my mother Rose started working in the business with my father. She learned the ins and outs - starting in the production area and later moving into Customer Service to assist customers with placing their orders. When my father passed away in 1991 my mother continued to run the business. I started working for the family business in 1996 after my mother asked if I’d be interested. I gladly accepted her offer and began my time at The Robert Gaspard, Co just as she did - learning all about the functions of each department. I worked the rounds - from cutting, fusing, stencil & applique, embroidery, sewing, pressing, quality control, and shipping. Once I understood what and how things were done in production - I moved over to customer service and attended several conferences where I’d proudly display the items we produced.

In 2004, my mother retired and I purchased the business and continued my father’s legacy - changing the name of the company to what it is today, Gaspard, Inc. 5 years later we opened The Giving Tree, a Christian gift store that offered a variety of Christian gifts for baptisms, weddings, first communions, confirmations, bereavement, home decor and more. My daughter Ashley worked there until it closed in 2017 and she is now the production manager overseeing the entire production floor of Gaspard. My wife Raechel and I reopened The Giving Tree in a much better location, Downtown Oconomowoc.

In July of 2020 my stepdaughter Madison started working for Gaspard, Inc as a textile cutter and shipper.

One Mission - Quality

My father was obsessed with offering the highest quality fabrics and hiring the finest artisans. His strategy paid off with customer loyalty and word of mouth referrals. One of the things that he taught me as far as value in the business is that quality is not expensive. It is priceless. That high-touch customer attention has built Gaspard's reputation for excellence.

Churches come to Gaspard, Inc. in search of the human touch. The artisans at Gaspard, Inc. still do embroidery, applique, and painting by hand using traditional methods. There are no shortcuts to producing quality garments, but the latest technology has made it much easier to meet the special requirements of each individual church. While most of the churches served by Gaspard, Inc are in the US, new technology has helped us reach the global Christian community. We have worked with churches in Canada, the UK, Italy, and even as far away as Japan and Australia. Gaspard, Inc produces liturgical accessories for just about every denomination and for people at every stage of life, from baptism towels to funeral palls.

Over the years I have seen a lot of people come and go. If my father were here today, I know he would be proud to see what we have become. Gaspard, Inc., now in its third generation, continues to offer the highest quality fabrics, hiring the finest artisans and providing customer service with a smile. It is our hope that you will continue to give Gaspard, Inc. the opportunity to serve you so that you are not only a customer, but a friend in the true sense of the word. You can order with confidence from us, and I believe that you’ll discover doing business with Gaspard, Inc. stands alone when it comes to quality, service and value. God Bless and Thank you,