TAMPA, Fla. — A bay area graphic design company is now providing free printing to nearby businesses to help them reopen safely.
The printers at Corwin Design & Graphics were not busy when the impact of COVID-19 hit their tight-knit Ybor City community.
Businesses in the historic Tampa neighborhood started putting up closed signs, unsure when or if they would be able to reopen.
Casey Corwin, owner of Corwin Design & Graphics received a Paycheck Protection Program loan to keep her employees on board during the pandemic. Corwin said she then realized her company was in a unique position to help area businesses rebound.
"We thought, you know, we have presses, we have paper, we have employees," Corwin said.
She quickly worked to assist businesses with printing needs they may not have been able to afford. Nearby businesses were soon sending her their logos and getting promotional products and menus from the design company.
"Why not be able to print, you know, single-use menus, banner, signage, anything to help our neighbors," Corwin said.
Corwin has already helped local breweries print new materials advertising the new hand sanitizer they are creating.
Additionally, Corwin Design & Graphics printed larger-font paper menus so restaurant patrons are able to point to items they would like to order. The company also created more single-use menus for restaurants. That is helpful because single-use menus are a requirement for restaurants here to reopen to patrons.
Now, many of the business owners are proudly displaying their new promotional materials.
"If we can keep our presses busy, whether we charge or not, it just makes us feel good that we're helping as much as we can," Corwin said.