Surprise delivery: Arlington shop gives local restaurants free take-out banners
Arlington residents venturing out of their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic might notice a common trait among locally owned restaurants: a banner advertising take-out.
The banners were delivered to restaurants like The Tin Cup, Bethany Cafe, Panda House, NAMOO Korean Bowl and a handful of others as a free surprise from Main Street Signs and Graphics, another local Arlington business. None of the businesses requested the signs, Main Street Signs and Graphics general manager Angel Rivera said.
The banners aren’t particularly large or flashy, but The Tin Cup owner Damon Carney said they’ve been a blessing.
“It’s really amazing to see one local business in Arlington, our neighbor, go out of their way to help out the other little guys,” Carney said. “They really want to see us small mom and pop shops here in Arlington survive this and I think that’s just fantastic what they’re doing.”
The sign deliveries started in late March when counties and cities across the state, including Arlington, were restricting business operations to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
Rivera said he and other employees identified local eateries along their commutes that were still open for curbside pickup and dropped by with free banners.
“We of course reside around and eat at a lot of the local smaller eateries here and, frankly, it’s kind of that sense of wanting to do something for those around us,” Rivera said. “We have the ability to create these at little cost to us other than a little sweat equity and we decided we had to do something.”
Main Street Signs and Graphics is still open because of contracts with the city, Rivera said. He said he felt fortunate to have work during the economic downturn. He and others at the shop wanted to use that good fortune to promote others in their community.
Rivera said he never expected anybody to find out the signs came from his shop but he was glad to hear they were making a difference. The banners don’t have any advertisement or identification for the local design and printing business, just the simple message that the restaurant is still open for take-out.
The shop’s employees don’t want anything in return except to see their neighbors succeed, Rivera said.
Carney said the shop even turned down a free lunch as a thank you for the sign.
Rivera said the reaction at one restaurant when he delivered a banner was enough payment for him.
“Even through the mask-covered face, their eyes lit up,” Rivera said. “It was a great reaction. I mean, we really just want you to be open when all of this is over.”