Screen Printing Never Expected This: Interviewing Noreast Apparel Before & After The Crisis

Before you read…

Printavo is simple shop management software. We help you streamline your business, keep jobs moving forward and your team on the same page.

Scheduling, quoting, approvals, payments, customer communication, automation and more. With Printavo, you’ll work smarter–not harder.

We talk to Dave Quigley from Noreast Apparel in Lowell, MA about screen printing in 2020. The bulk of this interview was filmed in January 2020 at Impressions Expo Long Beach – but it features an intro from April 2020 looking back after the crisis.

We ask Dave about his business, his strategy for getting customers, and much more – and his candid answers will surprise you and make you think.

What was Dave most excited in the screen printing industry heading into 2020?

“The events, the industry, meeting people, learning. I got stuck behind a screen or a press. […] I’m excited to lean in to the industry a little bit.” Instead of events, Dave managed to raise more than $20,000 for local businesses in Massachusetts using Printavo Merch’s simple online stores.

Noreast Apparel prints simple, vivid designs on great shirts at the right price, then splits the proceeds with restaurants, breweries, gyms, cafes and other local businesses. Learn how other businesses are using online stores to sell merchandise, raise funds, and keep their doors open in this article.

Even wilder…his Printavo account is number 80. We have thousands of accounts, so he’s one of the very first Printavo users. “I was obsessed with finding software for a print shop, Printavo was pretty much the perfect thing.”

Dave wrote a post about Lowell, MA that inspired his fundraising with Printavo Merch. It’s a heartfelt look at how it feels to miss your town’s local businesses. Must read:

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It Saturday which is typically a day we’re running around town taking care of some errands and indulging in some of the the awesomeness #lowell has to offer. Have you ever sat back and considered how many local small businesses you interact with on a daily and weekly basis? What’s your ideal Saturday look like? Mine starts on the motorcycle, sun is shining birds are chirping, probably doing some sort of activity, running or a trip to the gym ( @crossfitlowell ) Followed by a trip to @brewdawakeningcoffeehaus or @connectorcafe for some caffeinated goodness and sustenance. I love catching up and talking shop with @eyefulgal Meg @eyefulbeautysalon and getting my beautiful man mane tamed. Before the wheels come off I’ll drop the bike off and grab a beer @navigationbrewingco this is normally the part of the day where @mao_mao3 gets hungry, the options are plentiful, ramen? Burger? BBQ? Pizza? Sure @tremonterestaurant is personal favorite but also @millcitybbqandbrew @1981ramenbar so many good options….at this point wheels are official off, well feed happy full of life and jokes we’ll make our rounds and get ‘one more’ at @the_old_court @warplowell and @thekeep_lowell almost certainly going to need some sort of late night take out WahSang. Stay tuned for Sunday’s plans but also take this into consideration as you take the necessary steps to #stayhome and stop this virus. Seriously I love this city, I love this community. #lovelowell #pandemicsupportteam we got this.

A post shared by Noreast Custom Apparel (@noreastapparel) on

About Printavo

Printavo is simple shop management software. We help you streamline your business, keep jobs moving forward and your team on the same page.

Scheduling, quoting, approvals, payments, customer communication, automation and more. With Printavo, you’ll work smarter–not harder.

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