BUCYRUS — An idea to honor essential workers at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a rapidly growing business for a local young mother.
Rachel Striker began creating and producing the yard flags in April that read, “An Essential Worker Lives Here,” along with a variety of other signs and masks through her business, Print Happy, which she started out of her East Warren Street home.
“The essential worker signs took off like crazy. I shipped them all over the country, including 200 that I shipped to Missouri and 100 to Upper Arlington,” said Rachel.
Print Happy was founded by Striker in January of 2020 and it has grown to the point that it was time for the busy mother of a toddler and teenagers to make the move to a building downtown.
Print Happy is now located at 106 E. Warren St. and is housed in a building across from the Schines Art Park that is owned by FASCO Promotional Services. A ribbon-cutting was recently held by the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I am extra happy about Print Happy opening because I have known the owner for several years. It is exciting to see a young female entrepreneur so driven and civic-minded. I have no doubt that Rachel and Print Happy will make a positive impact on our community,” said Jessie Furner, director of the Chamber of Commerce.
The shop offers an array of items and services, such as T-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, puzzles, aprons and more. Customers can choose what they want to be printed on each item.
“I couldn’t justify spending my time and energy on something other than my family unless it would better our lives as a whole,” Rachel said. “I had been learning how to do pretty hand lettering onto coffee mugs when I discovered sublimation printing and a whole new world opened up.”
She said sublimation printing is unlike vinyl heat transfers in that it is a chemical reaction that causes your design to become a part of the material, rather than on it so it doesn’t crack, peel and come off over time.
“It also doesn’t have the setup cost of screen printing, so it’s totally affordable to do single items instead of requiring large minimum orders,” Rache said.
Rachel also has a screen printing machine and can do large and bulk orders for all of the different items she offers.
“We can use your logo or help you to create one of your very own. We are able to do single items to bulk orders,” said Rachel. “We can offer quick turnaround and local pick up or shipping.”
Rachel’s mom, Missie Striker, owns and operates Castle Auctions and Appraisals, LLC, Castle and Company Tours and the Castle Coin Shop with her sister and business partner, Mandy Paez, located at 301 S. Sandusky Ave., very close to Print Happy’s location.
“I am so proud of my daughter. She works very hard and does a great job,” said Missie. “We have great neighbors in this area of town and she will be happy here.”
Some of those neighboring business owners attended the ribbon-cutting at Print Happy, along with Mayor Jeff Reser and city service safety director, Jeff Wagner.
“We are excited to see another entrepreneur opening a business in our city. Small business owners are vital to our community and we welcome Print Happy,” said Reser.
To learn more about Print Happy or to order and purchase a garden flag thanking essential workers or other items, visit the Print Happy Ohio website, call 419-689-6472 or send an email to info@printhappyohio.com. Print Happy also may be accessed at the Print Happy Ohio Facebook page and on Instagram.