V.I.A.’s Home Grown features only the most awesome companies in Vancouver. From tiny, single-person operations to the big players, we profile our favourite businesses and interview their owners.

Proper Design Established 2008 www.properdesign.ca

Proper Design is a print studio that offers silkscreening, wide format printing, die-cut vinyl, and offset printing. Doing business out of East Vancouver, the company was established in 2008 by Brian Messina and Adrian Mcinness, two true craftsmen. If you’re a business looking for the aforementioned printing services and you want people who actually care about what they do taking care of it for you, then these guys are your guys.

We caught up with Brian (left) and Adrian (right) for a few questions…

If you guys were known for only one thing amongst your customers, what would it be?

BRIAN: Caring about everything we do from start to finish.

Why should people get printing done locally as opposed to sending it out-of-country?

ADRIAN: We like to take the time to get to know our customers and have them come to the shop. Wether it be to see a canvas print proof first hand, or pick pantones for a t-shirt print. I guess being able to interact with people and build a face to face relationship is hard to do out-of-country. Those would be a couple key factors in keeping it local.

Aside from your own, what’s your favourite business in the city, and why?

ADRIAN: My girlfriends Public Relations company Dela Cruz Public Relations. She started out with just her television/broadcasting and clothing industry contacts and is building up a sweet list of clientele through hard work, being focused and good organization. I admire the fact that she dove in solo and is on her way to running a tight little business.
BRIAN: I guess it is not a typical “business” but I might have to say the film industry. I really admire there ability to get such a large scale project together with so many people on very short notice and do what ever it takes to get the job done right.

What keeps you here? Like what’s the best thing about Vancouver?

BRIAN: I am still trying to figure that out. There is something very special about Vancouver but still in my six years living here I have not been able to figure out exactly what it is? The geography, the people or just the vibe in general, whatever it is I am still here and it would take something very special to get me to leave*.
ADRIAN: It’s beautiful here. The beaches in the summer. The mountains in the winter. All the skate parks. I’m a pretty social person so all the people and characters I’ve met over the years make this city one of a kind and Awesome!

www.properdesign.ca