It Happens Here: Pembroke's Unity Campaign Brings Struggling Companies Together
PEMBROKE (CBS) - Pembroke is now home to a unity campaign.
Shawn Flores co-owns the Acme Print Company and they took a giant hit when the pandemic struck.
"Initially, we went to almost zero revenue," Flores told WBZ-TV. "Our schedule was empty."
That's when he heard about the idea of the unity campaign - printing companies making T-shirts for struggling businesses, so their fans had another way to support them during the shutdown.
So Acme got to work right away for concert venues, tattoo shops, restaurants and more.
"The retail cost of the shirt had a 19 price point on it. Out of that $19, we took $10 right off the top and sent it to that business," Flores said.
After expenses, Acme was able to take home $2 or $3 for themselves.
And the campaign took off like wildfire – dozens of businesses and thousands of T-shirts.
One of those businesses was People's Republik, a restaurant-bar in Cambridge. More than a hundred shirts were purchased within just the first few weeks of the campaign.
Patrick Gallivan runs the restaurant and he says the unity campaign made a big difference.
"Some people needed that money just to pay their rent over the summer," Gallivan said. "It's something really special."
And the campaign kept Acme afloat as well, bringing in new customers who were impressed with the company's mission.
"They've come here on their own regard and said, 'Hey, you guys did a good thing. You can print our shirts, as well,'" Flores said. "We're unifying everybody who's in the exact same predicament."
You can learn more about Acme on its Instagram page.
