Luna, located at 113 Front Street in Berea, is much more than retail space because the owners, Gene and Lisa Zacharyasz, do their own screen-printing on site. Though most popularly known for their t-shirts, they also offer other promotional materials, such as pens, coffee mugs, and as Gene says, “anything you can imagine with a logo on it.”
On June 7th, 2022, Gene and Lisa proudly celebrate the 20th year anniversary of Luna and reminisce about how it all began.
Lisa had been working for an embroidery company, but since there are only so many products that can be embroidered, she felt limited and wanted to expand into the world of promotional products and screen-printing. At that time, Gene had been selling tires for 12 years and had become tired of the business. He told his wife, “I want to do something fun like you…something different than black rubber tires day after day.” That’s when she suggested that they work as a team. So, in 2002, they began working together from their home, selling various promotional products, and screen-printed and embroidered apparel.
After two years, they decided they needed more office space and discovered that “Star Sports Apparel” had put their storefront up for sale. Gene and Lisa initially intended it to be their new office location. However, when they took possession of the building, they decided that instead of being a brokerage for apparel decorating, they were going to begin printing their own apparel and merchandise.
A new business was born…but it still needed a name. During that time, Gene and Lisa’s daughter, Lauren, was only about two years old. Her favorite cartoon was “Bear in the Big Blue House,” and her favorite character on the show was a moon named Luna. When Gene and Lisa discussed what they were going to name their business, Lauren kept saying, “Luna. Luna…” And Luna it became.
Over the years, Luna has customized items for many businesses, schools, and organizations right here in Berea, as well as nationwide through their website www.lunamarketinginc.com. They have also provided their services to many personal and private events, such as family reunions and fundraisers.
One extremely memorable event was the “Law Enforcement Support Rally” to honor the police force and fallen officers, which was held at the Cleveland Public Square on December 27th, 2014. Gene and Lisa offered to supply the hosting organization, Sea of Blue, with shirts designed with the slogan “United We Stand, Divided We Don’t Stand A Chance.” The request came at such a late notice that they had to work through Christmas eve in order to fill the large order of shirts required for the rally. Due to their efforts and dedication, they managed to print almost 2,000 shirts in just a day and a half and helped make the fundraiser a huge success.
Luna is a true mom-and-pop shop for several reasons. It is owned and operated by husband and wife, and they have a small and caring staff that seems like family. Employee, Allen Peterkoski, kindly took the time to give me a tour and demonstration of the workshop area. He said that he absolutely loves his job, and it showed with his attention to detail and pride in his work and the finished products. Furthermore, since the screen-printing is done in-house, there is no middleman. Instead, the staff will work directly with clients to answer any questions and assist with material selection and design. This type of customer service and personal care can sometimes be difficult to find at a business, but at Luna, a customer can expect no less.
If you have the opportunity to visit Luna soon, whether to place an order or to browse the store, be sure to check out their new Coe Lake “Life at the Lake” shirts. And don’t forget to wish Gene, Lisa, and the staff a happy 20-year anniversary!
Check out LUNA’s Website: LUNA
