Meet Alvino Arvallo of Huntington Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alvino Arvallo.

Hi Alvino, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It’s a long story and there was a lot of moving puzzles but I will try my best to keep it short and straight to the point. My story started in 2015 when I had an idea to start a clothing brand. I quickly realized that running a clothing brand was a job in itself. And I also realized how expensive the garments can be with the printing if I was pumping out multiple designs. At the time I was also working a dead end 9-5 job and hated it! So one day I decided to leave work a little early and look for another job because I wanted to fund my clothing brand a little better. I thought I had a genius idea of going to a screen printing shop and asking for a job! Well that didn’t turn out so good at first every shop I went to shut me down because I had no experience. Except one well this one shut me down at first but something told me to go back. When I did get back to talk to the owner again I let him know that I understood he wasn’t looking to hire anyone instead I offered to work for free in exchange to learn the process. Eventually I ended up just loving it so much I took a leap of faith and decided that I was going to quit my job and go all in on my clothing brand. Eventually I ended up getting hired at the screen printing shop. After work everyday I would stay after hours and work on my clothing brand. Then I realized this would be easier if I had someone to help me out so I brought some friends along to help come up with ideas, designs and printing. That all was going good we were making good sales that eventually we opened up a little store front to sell our merch until. One day we were all just hanging out in the store front and I realized our socials got taken down and then our website and then finally we get hit with a cease and desist letter. I know right when it rains it pours. When That happened it hurt something deep inside me I kept thinking all this hard work for nothing. I thought this was the end for me in the clothing industry but it wasn’t it was actually the beginning then started loco.printing. Since I wasn’t printing for myself anymore I had a lot of friends that would ask me If I can do merch for them or their families business etc. By now I was printing all day and night. Do my 9-5 work at the print shop. and at night work on all my side orders. I kept this up for about 4 years until I got that itch again it’s time to take another leap of faith and open up my own shop. I was hesitant at first growing up I didn’t know anyone that had their own business. Everyone I knew worked for someone. One day a friend of mine tells me that he knew someone selling a brand new set up and it had everything I needed to get started so without any hesitation I just went for it! No risk no reward right. I didn’t even have a place to store it yet haha. While I was thinking of how I was going to tell my old boss that I was going to put in my 2 weeks he comes up to me and tells me that he’s going to be selling the business. And what he wanted for it at the time was unrealistic for me but he offered to sell it me. I thought about it for a week and then that self doubt started to kick in I kept telling myself I wasn’t going to be able to run and I should start small. I kept trying to talk myself out of it but fortunately for me I have the greatest support system. and before the month ended I came up with the money to become the new and still current owner of American Silkscreen & Graphics in Huntington Beach. It’s been a long road but I am happy to announce that this month marks my 6 years being a business owner.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
At first it was but a couple months into me owning the business Covid hit and it changed it flipped my world upside down. I thought I was going to have to shut down. I spent every penny I had to get to this point. I am an over thinker so right away I started thinking the worst was going to happen. But what kept me going was thinking about all the people that I would let down if I just gave up. I knew I had to persevere.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As you know I am Screen Printer I don’t know to many people who do what I do although I know there is a lot of shops. I like to think I have a good eye for things as far as designs ,colors ,ideas. What I am most proud of is having the freedom to bring my dog or my daughter to work with me whenever I want.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I always say I am looking to expand so definitely see us growing within the next couple years

Contact Info:

• Website: https://american-silkscreen.com
• Instagram: @loco.printing