Splott Graphics opens in downtown Hudson

by John Benson

For the better part of three years, Dan Soulsby had been looking to open a graphics and sign business in his hometown of Hudson.

The search for the right downtown location finally ended late last year when he settled on 34 Ravenna Street. Splott Graphics celebrated its grand opening on Feb. 4.

“We have a second location in Mentor, but the drive was killing me,” said Soulsby. “So I was looking for spots in Hudson for a while, but the (rental property costs) are just tough without parking.

“I really like the location we found. We do a lot of sales over the internet, and I like being this close to the post office. I feel like we’re really in the heart of the community. So, this is a new beginning.”

The other compelling reason favoring Hudson was the market. Soulsby said not only were there no other competitors in the area, the community is home for many Northeast Ohio business owners.

Splott Graphics specializes in everything from product signs, banners, vehicle graphics and trade show displays to electric signs, monument signs, interior signs, parking signs, real estate signs and decals.

Soulsby said the family-owned and operated business – which includes his brother, graphics designer Doug – offers the highest quality products at affordable rates and excellent customer service. This includes signs and banners made to order and picked up the same day.

“We stand out because we’re local and we can get things done the same day,” Soulsby said. “Nowadays with signs and graphics, there are a lot of places online, however, the quality control isn’t there. I can’t tell you how many times people come in with a banner they ordered over the internet that just looks terrible.

“It’s something you’d never accept. There’s no way I’d hand over something that looked as bad as they get online. That’s why it’s always good to stay local and help the economy.”

Soulsby’s interest in graphics and sign-making came from opening the Mentor business with his father in 1993.

“The industry has changed over the years from where we were putting each color down separately with vinyl to where I now have a latex printer here,” Soulsby said. “It’s eco-friendly and the prints come off the printer dry. It’s just incredible.”

The Splott Graphics owner said he’s providing the same attention to detail in his work that landed him in Los Angeles working for Walt Disney Studios.

“I went out there in 1999 and worked my way from being in the copy room to working in casting,” Soulsby said. “I came back to Ohio in 2007 after my wife got pregnant. I was like there’s no way am I raising a kid in Los Angeles. “I always liked Hudson. I thought it looked like a cool little New England town. That’s why I said Hudson is where I’m going to plant roots. Now I have three kids all in the Hudson Schools.”

Feature image photo caption: The Soulsby family (l-r), Mindy, Ava, Zoe, Colt and Dan, cut the ribbon for the grand opening of Splott Graphics.