Del Sol chief cashes in on 'wow' factor

Any company that can go from a single mall kiosk and three employees to 75 high-concept stores in 10 countries, all in just over a decade, must have something going for it.

In the case of Sandy-based Del Sol, that something is a cool product sold in a high-energy "fun in the sun" environment.

The company, now run by president Jefferson G. Pedersen, sells products that change color in the sun, thanks to Del Sol's proprietary Spectra- chrome color-changing crystals.

At first, the company sold its wares from a small cart in a Salt Lake mall, introducing such innovations as color-change thread in polo shirts and hats.

Soon Del Sol boasted more than 100 carts and kiosks in U.S. and Canadian malls. But after the company opened its first store in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, it changed direction, eliminating the kiosks to focus on the stores.

That has been a good move, as the stores' locations in popular resort towns enabled salespeople to offer a total experience, what Pedersen calls the "wow" factor — the goal of making every customer exclaim, "Wow!"

Customers are encouraged by well-trained, upbeat salespeople to laugh, shout, sing and dance under limbo sticks as they try out Del Sol products. The experience is so positive for many that people have been known to whip out their cameras so they can remember the stores.