By John Chenier
You can find the nondescript entrance to Carlos Graphics just a couple of doors down from La Bottega. Unless you are in the habit of walking around craning your neck to look up at second-storey windows, the only indication of this funky second floor loft at 70 George Street is a non-descript sign sitting on the sidewalk out front. If you are like me, you could live in Lowertown and shop in the market for years and never know it was there. If it weren’t for a friend having some of his cartoon drawings put on some dishes he was giving as a very personalized wedding present to his niece I might still be oblivious to its presence.
To use my friend’s expression, Carlos Graphics is a treasure trove for the creative mind looking for a unique gift — perhaps bordering on the kitschy. If you are yearning to put a slogan, a special picture, logo or touching message onto something solid, Carlos Graphics is the place to go.
Team-building T-shirts? No problem.
Company water-bottles? What colour?
Embroidered undershorts? Maybe?
The biggest challenge is climbing up those steep steps to get to the shop.
Carlos Radi brought his graphics design firm from the periphery down to the ByWard Market more than a dozen years ago. Why the Market, I asked? “Because downtown is the place to be,” he replies. Where else could he find such a diversified market for his many services?
His regular ad in the Echo list these as offset and digital printing, business cards, booklets, kit folders, envelopes, letterhead, postcards, calendars door hangers, banners, event backdrops, stickers, labels, vehicle magnets, wall graphics, real estate signs, coroplast signs, illuminated signs, totebags, lamination, embroidery screen printing, custom T-shirts, mugs & cups and — get this — MUCH MORE.
Time for a confession: his firm does not print the Echo, but it has produced coffee mugs with the Echo and LCA logos and it is considered by some to be the official printer for the Lowertown Community Association.
Like many businesses, Carlos Graphics was closed during the lockdown, but the firm is slowly getting back to back to work and, according to anyone you ask working there, it is busy. If you find yourself in a store looking at signs telling you where to stand to maintain physical distance or to locate a public hand-cleansing station, you may be seeing some of his handiwork.
As the orders for these and other COVID-related products come rolling in, it is evident that the pandemic has both a positive as well as a negative impact on his business. The company is still not operating a full strength, whch perhaps is just as well. Carlos says the ability to order in supplies for overnight delivery is not an option these days. Delivery by any mode is a challenge, whether awaiting packages to arrive from the major “overnight” shippers or wanting to send things with a local bike courier
The realignment of the business world is going to take some time. But if it needs any signs to point the way or give directions, Carlos knows a place where you can get them.