Everest & Jennings Unit Sold, Will Stay in County

At least part of Everest & Jennings Inc. will remain in Ventura County after the wheelchair manufacturer completes its move from Camarillo to St. Louis. Gay Dawson, who until last month headed E & J’s Avenues Unlimited mail-order unit, has purchased the mail order business from her former employer.

Dawson, who was general manager of Avenues Unlimited since its inception in 1988, has already moved the operation into new quarters in Camarillo. And she has plans to expand the firm, which sells clothing and accessories to wheelchair users.

“Until now, we’ve sold exclusively through our mail-order catalogue,” she said. “But there’s a strong possibility that we may begin marketing through retail stores as well.”

Neither Dawson nor Everest & Jennings would disclose the purchase price for the company, but Dawson said Avenues Unlimited’s revenues total about $1 million annually. The firm isn’t yet profitable, but it should be within 18 months, she added. She expects this year’s sales to be up 30% over last year, when the business was in a slump.

“Everest & Jennings didn’t promote us much because of their financial problems, but I think there’s a strong market for these products.”

About 60% of Avenues’ items are brightly colored, attractive garments such as jeans, jackets and dresses. The rest are accessories such as tote bags and fitness equipment. “We try to avoid the institutional look,” Dawson said. “Our items have to look as good as standard apparel.”

As an efficiency step, Avenues Unlimited has formed a joint distribution center with a Westlake Village firm that sells items for babies.