Mt. Lebanon High School 1995 graduate Aaron Panczyk grew up on Longuevue Drive with his parents, Mike and Mary; sister Kelley; and brothers Micah and Simon. Panczyk always had an interest in art and working with his hands but didn’t have a clear direction for what he wanted to do after high school.
A few years after college while trying to figure out his calling, he ran into a childhood family friend at The Saloon of Mt. Lebanon who offered him a job. Panczyk accepted the job on the spot and the following Monday he started working for Sunburst Sportswear as its graphic designer. Six years later, he purchased the business. Since then, he’s expanded the space, grown its capabilities and seen it become a staple township business.
Located on the corner of Castle Shannon Boulevard and Anawanda Avenue, Sunburst Sportswear is a custom apparel silk-screening and embroidery shop with the capacity to fill any sized order. Panczyk and his staff have served up team apparel to many Mt. Lebanon organizations, such as the Mt. Lebanon Soccer, Lacrosse, Basketball, Baseball and Softball Associations, to name just a few. Local companies represent the bulk of his business.
“We have gotten to know a ton of local business owners over the years,” Panczyk said. “They tell friends and family about us and we keep growing.”
That growth includes the addition of in-house embroidery machines with business partner Ben Weidman, also of Mt. Lebanon.
“Having everything in-house allows for complete quality control,” noted Panczyk. “The embroidery side of the business has really taken off in the last year.”
If you stop by the shop, you’ll probably recognize some shirts being printed as well as the people printing them. Panczyk employs two Mt. Lebanon graduates as well as his dad Mike, who is the shop’s 86-year-old Chief Financial Officer and a former nuclear physicist.
Panczyk believes his success comes from hard work, relationships and his long-time love for art.
“When you own your own business, you have to be the one willing to put in the work,” Panczyk said. “We especially love when we have the opportunity to get involved creatively and help create logos and graphics. Coming up with clever ways to communicate a message is the most fun part of this business and I think it’s something that truly sets us apart.”
Panczyk now lives in Mt. Lebanon’s Cedarhurst Manor neighborhood with his wife Kate, a fellow Mt. Lebanon grad, and their daughter, Isla. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing the guitar and coaching soccer. In fact, Panczyk has coached local teams for nearly twenty years, including the Mt. Lebanon boys varsity soccer team from 2020 to 2024, the Mt. Lebanon girls varsity soccer team from 2010 to 2015 and the Seton La Salle varsity soccer team from 2001 to 2008.
When asked what advice he would offer young entrepreneurs, Panczyk had words of wisdom.
“There are no guarantees,” Panczyk said. But if you believe in yourself and your abilities, you have the chance to be successful.”
For more information on Sunburst Sportswear, visit them in person at 445 Castle Shannon Blvd., or online at www.sunburstsportswear.net.
