RIVERHEAD, NY โ For 36 years, Michael Grigg Jr.'s father worked on East Main Street in downtown Riverhead, tirelessly dedicated to providing for his family.
And now Grigg, 42, is seeing a lifetime dream realized as he prepares to launch his very own business, House of Print, at 49 East Main St., just steps away from where his father spent so many years, working for Sears.
Grigg's new business is slated to open sometime next week.
Grigg, a Riverhead native who lives in Aquebogue with his wife Gabriella and children Markus, 12, Braylin, 10, and Mara, 2 months, is thrilled to be opening the business, which will specialize in custom embroidery and apparel, as well as host "design and print" T-shirt and pillowcase parties for kids.
Before embarking on his latest path toward a business he can call his own, Grigg worked for East End Sporting Goods in Mattituck and, before that, for 13 years at Marders in Bridgehampton, where he said his deep love for visual merchandising was born, under the tutelage of Kathleen Marder.
"She's amazing. She taught me everything there is to know about business, about customer service, about merchandising. Marders is a special place and I learned so much from them," Grigg said.
But even with such positive experiences behind him, Grigg always knew he wanted to spread his wings and soar. "My dream was to always have a business, whether shining shoes or picking leaves off of a tree," he said. "It didn't matter, I was always going to have my own business โ have my destiny in my own hands."
Describing the appeal of owning his own business, Grigg reflected: "It's the independence โ the ability to grow and show my talents in business and art."
While he loves designing T-shirts, Grigg said he also has a passion for art and design, "for making people's businesses look good โ helping people to create their brand."
Besides apparel, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, and more, Grigg will be designing logos and a wide range of promotional products for businesses; he also plans to service schools, designing team attire. "I like making things look good," he said.
One plus to his business, he said, is that there will be no charges for art and design.
Grigg also hopes to give back to the community, to friends and family, to his sons' school district โ to the place he's long called home.
"I grew up in Riverhead in the 90s," Grigg said. "There was nothing for young black men to look up to, to aspire to be. I want kids to see me and say, 'He's got a business.' I want to give them something to look up to, to tell them, 'See, you can make it.'"
Reflecting on his beloved father, who died of cancer in 2009 at 65, just four years after he was able to retire, Grigg said his dad worked for Sears for 36 years to provide for his family.
It's that deeply ingrained work ethic that fuels Grigg's dream. "I wanted to make sure I could provide the best way I could โ use my talents โ for my family," he said. "This was all for my kids' future, and what I wanted for my family."
Partnering with Marc LaMaina, owner of Lucharitos, seemed a natural, Grigg said. "He's amazing. I couldn't ask for a better friend โ he's almost like a brother," he said.
LaMaina agreed. "I'm excited, having the Lucha brand partner with Mike on this. It was his dream. His concept. He is determined to succeed, and that's something I want to be a part of," he said.
And, Grigg said, he purposefully sited his new business on Main St. in downtown Riverhead because his heart is deeply invested in revitalizing the area. "I'm sitting in my office, looking out the window, watching all the cars and realizing half the town is empty," he said. "It shouldn't be that way. It's such a beautiful place."
Even his kids love Main Street, asking to stroll along as they eat ice cream. And it's a place Grigg wants to see continue to grow and flourish. "I think this is positive for Main Street," Grigg said. "I could have chosen so many different places โ but I really wanted to do something on Main Street."
Soon, his children will be able to stop by and visit their dad at work on Main Street. Grigg said he hopes to catch the attention of passerby with his designs in the window. "When people walk by, I want them to look in the window and say, 'Wow, that's cool,'" he said.
With his love for art and visual merchandising, Grigg said down the line, a goal for his business is to branch out a bit. "Hopefully, I'd like to expand on the clothing side and maybe explore the idea of making it into a brand."
His "The Hop" designs could make a great clothing line, he added. "I want to keep it casual, nothing crazy," Grigg added. "People love T-shirts and sweatshirts. I want to make it accessible to everyone โ whether it's a skater or someone's grandpa."
Most important, the business has deep personal meaning for Grigg, who wants to build something with his own grit and determination that he created from a dream. "I want to leave a legacy for my children. So they really have something to look up to โ and maybe, one day, something I can pass down to one of them," he said.
The kids, he said, already love helping him out. "They ask me to let them build things โ or to teach them how to print a shirt."
For others hoping to take the leap and pursue a vision, Grigg has a message: "Don't ever give up. There's always gold at the end of the rainbow."
By Lisa Finn, Patch Staff
