Hidden Gems: Meet Brad Mays of Mays Printing and Graphics LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Mays.

Hi Brad, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 1960, Mays Printing Company was started by Cecil Mays, who is my grandfather. In 2017, my wife, Amber, and I decided that we would take over the family business and expand to what is Mays Printing and Graphics, LLC today. We wanted the business to remain locally owned and operated by our family, I had grown up working for Mays Printing Company when I was just a kid, doing odd jobs here and there, and I officially joined the company when I was 15 years old.

My wife Amber was very much a print shop kid too. She grew up in print shops and/or newspapers thanks to her mom’s careers. You see, print shops always have odd jobs like putting papers together or putting stickers on things that are monotonous work, but can easily be done by kids who thinks the menial work is fun. Our kids too grew up in the print shop. We weren’t doing illegal child labor, but our kids loved to pitch in here and there just like we did. We are proud that all 4 of our children have helped our business in some way or another over the past 8 years.

To this day, we continue to offer a variety of printing and business services, with convenient locations to downtown Zebulon & Griffin. Our goal has remained to provide quality products with great customer service. We take pride in our work and want happy customers who keep coming back to us.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has definitely not been smooth, but I think that every business has it’s struggles. One of our biggest obstacles has been that in some ways the print industry is dying. Everything is going digital in some way or the other, so we have had to change our way of thinking and are constantly having to update our equipment and product availability to go with the times. We literally have equipment still that uses lead type and even wooden type. We have manual machines that require a human to stand and work the machine the entire time it is running, but we e also have large printers that can do the job of 3 people. So just staying a head of the curve and offering things that are just digital or printed with new techniques is a requirement to keep with the times.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our family has been serving the community since 1960. From linotype to modern digital services, Mays Printing & Graphics LLC has evolved through the times to meet the needs of our customers.

We offer a wide variety of products: whether you’re looking to promote a product or advertise a service or event, we can help you design a layout that will reach your audience and get your message across. We produce all in house the following: – Envelops
– Booklets & Books
– Forms
– Labels & Decals
– Post Cards & Invitations
– Wall Decals & Art
– Vinyl
– Business Cards
– Flyers & Posters
– Signs & Banners
– T-Shirts
– Blueprints
– Vehicle Print & Magnets

We take pride in what we produce. A member of our family inspects each item before it leaves the shop. We want our customers to feel like myself, my wife, or even my son had a hand in getting you a quality product with excellent customer service.

What does success mean to you?
Success is undefinable as a term that hits right for each person. Of course there is the dictionary term, but honestly success is different for each of us. My success is feeling proud that I made a customer happy. My success is 5 star Google Review or a nod to us on Facebook. The fact that we get to support our household, doing what we love is a success story. My grandfather started this business in 1960. We are still going strong in the same community all these years later; that is true to success!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maysprintingandgraphics.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maysprinting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaysPrintingandGraphics/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@maysprinting