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After a decade of creating apparel for Philly orgs, Phresh Prints Ink is marking the occasion with the grand opening of its new shop.
With a new Fox Street location, owner Nasir Yard is positioning the North Philly print shop — specializing in screen printing, embroidery and sports uniforms — for its next phase of growth. He hopes to show others how a community-rooted small business can expand through local relationships, public-sector partnerships and hands-on support for the next generation.
“The more people I can help while I’m here, I feel like that’s what I have a passion for.”
Nasir Yard, Phresh Prints Ink
“I’ve definitely been encouraged and motivated by my community, the people I help and my employees,” he told Technical.ly.
Originally from North Philly, Yard started his entrepreneurial journey in the early 2010s when he launched his own clothing brand, Skeem Team, and started selling his clothing designs out of the back of his car.
A few years later, his brand was doing so well that he decided to turn it into the full-service business he runs today.
“It just took off,” Yard said. “I don’t know if it was the logo or the name or the marketing behind it, maybe a mix of all three.”
Over the years, he opened and closed a few other locations in Norristown and Collegeville before finally moving to the business’s new home on Fox Street.
“I have all of my equipment in one spot. I have all of my top staff members, and also have the space that I need to grow,” Yard said, “and even bring in new equipment that I wasn’t able to bring in at the other locations.”
A nonprofit, internships, jobs and more
As Phresh Prints Ink grew over the years, Yard always put community support at the center of his business, he said.
A longtime coach for local sports, Yard incorporated that passion into the business by making uniforms for local youth teams, plus he landed a partnership with the City of Philadelphia to make athletic uniforms for high school teams, too.
The collaboration with sports teams doesn’t stop there. A few years after launching Phresh Prints Ink, Yard started a nonprofit called Up Next Youth Foundation, which hosts programming for young athletes.
Phresh Prints Ink also works with the city’s Taking Care of Business program to make uniforms for the workers. The business has a strong relationship with local government, having benefited from programs like the Quality Jobs program and the Small Business Catalyst Fund, according to Yard.
As the company continues to grow, he wants to become more of a staple in the community, gain more name recognition and secure more local government contracts, he said.
Ultimately, Yard’s passion is helping others see their vision come to life, he said, and he’s been able to do that through the print shop over the last 10 years. Some customers come in with a design ready to go, but most of them need some guidance deciding on a design, a color or even the type of apparel.
He’s even helped customers and former employees start their own brands, many of which he’s seen go on to be successful. Phresh Prints Ink also regularly hosts interns from local schools and community organizations to introduce new people to the field.
“The more people I can help while I’m here, I feel like that’s what I have a passion for,” Yard said, “trying to help people and help them grow, and help them see their dreams come true.”
