How The Greek Corner's Expansion is Allowing Them to Give Back

In 2007, Jason Parke was working for a title company when he decided to buy a starter screen printing kit and pursue a side gig by night. An MSU graduate with a business major and art minor, Parke took a variety of graphic design courses in college so screen printing was up his alley. “My grandparents owned an industrial uniform business for 40 years,” Parke says. “I always knew I wanted to own my own business, I just didn’t know what it was.”

Soon the decision would be made for him. When the housing market collapsed in 2008, Parke was laid off. “Two weeks before they let me go we found out we were expecting our first child, which was really awesome,” Parke says. “[Getting laid off] forced me to do it.” He launched his own venture but being so small had to outsource jobs. Parke quickly decided he wanted to buy an existing business with a recognizable name. It so happened that Greek Corner Screen Printing and Embroidery was for sale.

Greek Corner Screen Printing was founded in 1983 by Steve Bean. Located across from MSU, it built a reputation of creating shirts for fraternities and sororities.

In 2005, it was purchased by Karla Lampe, who later wanted to sell. On January 1, 2009, Parke became owner, inheriting two employees who are still with him today.

Acquisition became key to the growth of the company. In 2014, Parke bought Integrity Design. “It had in-house embroidery,” Parke says. “It gives us control over production. You are not dependent on a contractor getting it done for you. We can do what we want, when we want it.”

In 2018, Greek Corner acquired Springfield competitor Bigfish Screenprinting LLC and its list of 1,800 clients. Bigfish was known for its philanthropic efforts around town, and Greek Corner has donated to many local causes, so Parke felt the company morals were aligned, and the acquisition would give his company a larger market share.

Today, Greek Corner has 20 employees. Although the company continues to expand, it has seen its share of rough years. Parke’s optimism lies in his niche.

Greek Corner is the official screen printer and embroiderer for MSU athletics, one of the company’s largest clients. Greek Corner has done extensive work with the Springfield Cardinals and Bass Pro Shops Fitness Series, and has printed 25,000 shirts for Walmart’s annual shareholders conference. Working with churches and nonprofits is a significant portion of the business.

Meeting deadlines is a pillar of Parke’s outfit, and he’s focused on customer service because most of his customers come from referrals or are repeat business.

At the company Christmas lunch last year, he reminded employees that even when it gets stressful, when there’s a rush job, they should focus on customer service.

“What I want to remember is there is a human being wearing this shirt, and we want it to be the best shirt possible so they have the best experience in it,” Parke says. “None of us really needs another T-shirt; most shirts are bought as an emotional experience, a mission trip, a baseball game, it’s an emotional experience.”

GROWING 

When Parke bought the business, it was on the verge of closing. He kept a handful of customers but had to basically start from the ground up.

Most of the equipment was old and had been damaged in a 2007 flood, so much of the printing was done in Nixa. It wasn’t efficient.

He moved the business from the corner of Grand Street and National Avenue to Chestnut Expressway. Parke upgraded to state-of-the-art equipment, an automated screen printing press, and the best software for special art effects. Having the right equipment is key to delivering the right product.

The new location and equipment worked for about five years and then the business outgrew the space, and moved 500 feet away to a larger location where it stayed for four years.

After the Bigfish acquisition, it was time to move again to accommodate the growth of the company.

Last summer, Parke purchased a 23,000-square-foot building that used to house Ozarks Technical Community College’s workforce development program.

As the business grows, Parke's uses his father Brad, who is also general manager of the company, for advice and wisdom. His father worked with Parke's grandfather for 20 years and now helps his son through the company's growing pains.

As the company expands, its method of income changes but currently, embroidery accounts for 15 percent of the business; screen printing is 80 percent; and the rest is promotional products, such as golf balls.

Greek Corner also uses Allmade Apparel to give back, which are environmentally friendly shirts that help support families in Haiti. Haiti has a high orphan rate, and many parents struggle to support their families. The average worker in a Haitian garment factory is paid $5.11 a day, but Allmade pays its workers three times that figure, with additional incentives to earn up to five times the minimum wage. Through these increased wages, Allmade’s goal is to support local families while simultaneously addressing the high number of orphans.

Parke was introduced to the shirts by one of his vendors, and took a trip to Haiti to visit the factory where the shirts were made. It was a profound experience, and he makes an effort to promote the product whenever he can.

The shirts are also environmentally friendly. Allmade shirts are made with recycled polyester, which comes from recycled water bottles. Every tri-blend shirt contains the equivalent of six plastic water bottles. Allmade uses organic, non-GMO cotton grown in the United States, and it uses TENCEL™ Modal, which is made from sustainably harvested beech trees in PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) certified European forests.

The shirts cost about $5 more than a regular garment, so it’s not for everyone, but Parke would love to see the brand take off.