CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Now more than ever, businesses across the country are faced with various challenges, forcing them to reconsider their business practices in an effort to remain open.
Particularly in Corpus Christi, small local businesses are the heart of the city. Supporting business owners within the community helps drive the economy and encourage quality of life for the entire area.
However, many business owners have been seeing a decline in customers — in addition to nationwide inflation and product shortages.
Elevated Screen Printing is one of the lucky businesses that has stayed open despite the constant adversity within the industry.
Jessica Mullan and her husband Ricardo Gallegos opened the screen printing business in 2015.
“My husband is a graphic designer and he was in a band for many years, getting merch printed for them," Mullan said, "So when the time came about when we were thinking about next steps, what did we want to do, screen printing was a great option for us.”
Throughout the years, the couple has grown their business, partnering with other local companies, organizations and even school districts.
However, in the past few years they’ve seen changes that has caused them to take a step back and consider the future of their business.
“I noticed the biggest change probably the end of last year," Mullan said. "A lot of the people that we were printing for through the holidays for the past years were just cutting back a lot on how much they were ordering and also we just weren’t getting as many orders in from new customers."
The company has gone through the impact of two hurricanes and the pandemic, combined with nationwide inflation and shortages.
Another reality is that more people are trying to save money have learned how to print on their own — but Jessica and Ricardo said the quality just won’t be the same.
“We try to use the best things on the market, the best blanks on the market, the best machines on the market to provide the best quality for our city. In absence of us not being here, you’d have to pay shipping from another city," Gallegos said.
With surrounding businesses failing every day, the couple wants people to realize that it’s pivotal for them to shop locally.
“Even if you didn’t use us, you can use somebody else here locally that can do the same exact thing," Gallegos said.
With back to school around the corner, they’ve found other ways to stay busy. They’re distributing hundreds of clear backpacks to local school districts and families.
However, with the future of some businesses in limbo, the couple said they’re pushing forward and don’t have plans of closing up shop any time soon.
“We’re really can’t predict what that future is going to hold," Gallegos said. "But all we can do is tell everybody that we’re going to be here, we’ve been here through a hurricane, through a pandemic, whatever this is, we’re going to be here with you.”
If a child is in need of a clear backpack for this upcoming school year, head to Elevated Screen Printing for ordering details.
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