If you're feeling trapped inside lately due to stay-home orders, you're not alone. Though you may be safe at home, a Binghamton screen printing company is making sure you also look good in isolation.
Muckles Ink recently partnered with Red Barron Creative to develop a line of "quaran-tees" with Binghamton-themed designs.
"It's just more of a robust offering that we have now and it seems to be helping people, because we all have to innovate our way out of this one, and now we just have more tools in our disposal to do so," said Muckles Ink Founder Casey Coolbaugh.
One popular design features the dinosaur from the famed Johnny Hart cartoons, wearing a protective mask.
The company, started by two Binghamton University grads, is now donating 20% of its sales to nonprofits.
"You can see the community sort of come together and try to help each other out. No one likes this. No one likes quarantine, but we're just trying to do the best we can one day at a time," said Coolbaugh.
Muckles isn't alone in its efforts. Several downtown businesses have joined the cause, donating food or money to a community in need.
"Binghamton University closing has been tough on most businesses in a college town, so it has been really nice to see some innovation, people helping each other, a lot of the restaurants giving food out for free," said Coolbaugh.
For small businesses such as Muckles, these are trying times. But founders say they're not in this fight alone.
"I'm optimistic. I think pandemics and other crazy situations, the community really does pull together, and we're all in this together," said Coolbaugh.
Red Baron Technology, which acquired Muckles, is now offering a "pay what you can" program.
While we need business as much as anyone else, we feel it is important to help those who are struggling or worse off and allow them to square us away when they are back on their feet or spread the payment out as needed," said Red Baron Technology Founder Jonathan Layish.