by Amadeus Smith

Reporter

Boston Heights -- Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez and Ellen Degeneres.

It sounds like the guest list for a red carpet event. But it's actually a few of Hudson resident Sgt. David Hack's clients at U.S. Wings.

Hack, who is retired from the U.S. Army, recently moved his 20-year old bomber jacket business to 561 E. Hines Hill Road in Boston Heights.

Before the move, the business was at Stow Hudson Plaza at Norton Road and state Route 91 for five years.

Hack said the township approached him about moving U.S. Wings, which manufactures and sells bomber jackets, motorcycle jackets and aviation apparel, to the area because the township is looking to bring in high-end retail and restaurant business there.

Hack said his new building is seven times bigger than the one in Stow.

The retail portion of U.S. Wing's new building, which sits on 3.5 acres, is 3,600 square feet. The shipping department and offices take up another 10,600 feet.

Having other up-scale businesses in the area and the proximity to Hudson also was appealing to Hack.

"We're just two blocks away from Hudson," he said.

In addition to selling apparel to branches of the armed service and celebrities -- Hack sold two jackets to Hugh Laurie, star of Fox's House on July 11 -- the company also serves local residents.

"We're known the world over," Hack said. "We have a very broad spectrum of clients."

John McCain, Republican nominee for the presidential election, is one of those clients.

Hack said U.S. Wings custom made a pair of sunglasses for McCain with McCain's name etched into the inside of the frame and on the case.

The company also is duplicating the flight jacket McCain wore during the Vietnam War for distribution to the public by the McCain camp.

U.S. Wings has six full-time and six part-time employees, and Hack plans to add more. He said he still needs employees for all three parts of the site: the retail store, shipping department and office.

Hack said he won't stop with the opening of the new store though. Hack plans to set up a park in the green space behind the store for motorcyclists taking day trips. The cyclists, he said, can use the space to grill out as the park will include grills, park benches and picnic tables.

"It's a hoot, isn't it?" he asked.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and is closed Sundays.

E-mail asmith@recordpub.com

Phone: 330 686 3928