Family-owned advertising and marketing business finds ways to survive during the pandemic
Family Decals in National City transitioned to its garage to continue filling customer orders
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Ana Rozo, the owner of Family Decals, cuts out letters to press onto custom shirts. Photo by Vicky Pineda/City Times Media
To read this story in Spanish, click here.
Family Decals is located in National City inside a Price Breakers outlet located where Highland Avenue and Plaza Boulevard meet.
The indoor bazaar provides different sized spaces from where small businesses can sell their discounted items ranging from clothing and crystals to jewelry and medicine.
Nestled in one of the corners is Family Decals, a marketing shop that creates logos, banners, signs, cards, flyers — everything businesses need to advertise.
Previous designs are displayed on the wall behind the counter, which has been open for almost 20 years.
The first three months of the pandemic were difficult because Price Breakers shut down and Family Decals could not open its store, according to Ana Rozo the owner.
Many of the marketing store’s customers reached out for products, so Rozo took home the equipment to fulfill orders, like custom shirts in the family’s garage and even began designing custom masks.
“As a business that helps other businesses,” Rozo said, “we stay busy.”
Once Price Breakers reopened its doors, Family Decals’ sales started to increase.
Rozo explained that as businesses were reopening, many needed advertisements to attract customers. Family Decals had customers from all over San Diego.
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Still, Rozo tried to file a Paycheck Protection Program loan application, but was not accepted into the program.
Despite getting denied for the loan, she said they were blessed because Family Decals is a second income for her family.
She was also thankful to the people who continued to support the business during the pandemic.
This story is part of The Highland Avenue Project and the Democracy and the Informed Citizen Emerging Journalist Fellowship program.
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Gabriel Schneider is the Editor-in-Chief for City Times. He previously served as managing editor, section editor and staff writer. He is majoring in digital...
