From Basement Startup to Blaine Headquarters: Waggle’s Bold Vision Redefines Golf Apparel

When Minnesota native Travis Baker launched Waggle out of his basement in 2018, he wasn’t trying to build the next major golf apparel brand. He was simply trying to inject some personality into a sport he loved. Today, that passion project has grown into one of the fastest-rising lifestyle brands in the Midwest—now headquartered in Blaine, Minnesota, where its new corporate office and flagship retail store opened this month at 3100 101st Avenue NE.

The Blaine Police Department’s Community Spotlight recently introduced residents to Baker’s story. But the full picture of Waggle’s ascent reveals a powerful blend of entrepreneurial agility, Minnesota roots, and a determination to make golf—and sport in general—more expressive, inclusive, and fun.

Local Roots, Corporate Insight, and a Creative Leap

Baker grew up in New Brighton and graduated from Irondale High School, where hockey shaped much of his early life. He later played junior hockey in Mason City, Iowa, before earning a degree in operations and supply chain management from the University of St. Thomas.

His early corporate roles at Best Buy Corporate and later 3M exposed him to demand planning, price analysis, product management, and large-scale logistics—experiences that would later become essential as he began developing new products and building a brand from the ground up.

But the pivot to golf fashion came from a moment of creative clarity. As Baker has shared in interviews, attending a Jimmy Buffett concert—surrounded by fans dressed in bold, tropical, personality-filled outfits—sparked a realization: Why didn’t anything this fun exist in golf apparel? Why did golf fashion look essentially the same across players and courses?

Waggle was born from that question.

Named after the small pre-swing motion golfers make, the brand began with sketches and prototypes Baker worked on during nights and weekends. Early experiments didn’t always stick—hockey sticks, training tools, accessories—but each one honed his instincts for design, storytelling, and product development. What remained constant was his belief that the golf course didn’t need to be limited to khaki, navy, and argyle.

A Brand with Personality—and Growth to Match

From that first spark, Waggle quickly connected with golfers looking to break free from traditional country-club aesthetics. The brand’s early “Cocky Rooster Polo” became a hit, symbolizing its mission: boldness, confidence, humor, and individuality.

By 2022, Waggle had become one of the Twin Cities’ fastest-growing private companies, posting 248% revenue growth in only a few years. Staff numbers grew from seven employees to roughly fifty, and for two consecutive years, Waggle earned top placement on regional “fast growth” business lists.

Its product lineup expanded beyond men’s golf polos into:

• women’s and youth apparel
• hats and headwear
• outerwear
• accessories
• hockey-themed apparel
• “lake life” and Minnesota-inspired lifestyle gear

The growth was so rapid that the company soon outgrew its operations in Roseville.

Why Blaine? “A Natural Fit.”

In 2025, Waggle secured a 45,000-plus-square-foot facility in the Radisson Road Business Center in Blaine—including a 10,000 sq. ft. corporate office, a 27,000 sq. ft. warehouse, and its newest freestanding retail store.

For Baker, the decision was deeply intentional.

With the National Sports Center and Super Rink just minutes away, Blaine offered a convergence of sports culture, community engagement, and family-focused energy—values that resonate deeply with the Waggle brand.

“Between the amazing sporting events that come through NSC, the family focus of the community, and the energy of the area as a whole, Blaine really reflects the passions that inspire our brand,” Baker said during the opening.

The store is now open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., and Sundays, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Community Connection and Giving Back

Philanthropy and community involvement sit at the core of Waggle’s identity. One of its most meaningful partnerships is with Special Olympics Minnesota, where the brand contributes both creativity and resources.

Waggle designs apparel for Special Olympics events and is known for its annual 24-Hour Hole-in-One Challenge, a high-energy fundraiser where participants attempt to sink a hole-in-one over a full day—raising tens of thousands of dollars for athletes across the state. Waggle also supports the Polar Plunge, supplying hats and apparel while promoting the event through its growing audience.

With the Special Olympics USA Games coming to Minnesota in 2026, Waggle plans to deepen its involvement.

Baker often says the company’s success is driven not simply by rapid sales, but by the people behind the brand.

“What I’m most proud of is our team,” he shared. “They’re not just talented—they’re genuinely good humans.”

The Future of Waggle

As Waggle looks ahead, the goal is not just expansion—it’s cultural impact.

Baker envisions a brand that continues to disrupt norms, invite more personality onto golf courses and hockey rinks, and celebrate the outdoors and sports culture that define so much of Minnesota life.

Waggle’s story mirrors the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives across the Twin Cities: a hometown idea, sparked by passion, shaped by community, and scaled with creativity and heart.

Follow Waggle

• Instagram: @waggle.blaine • @getyourwaggleon
• Facebook: Waggle Apparel
• X (Twitter): @getyourwaggleon

MinneapoliMedia