Providing Printing and Marketing Solutions to Area Businesses

story by KAREN SNYDER         photos by SUSAN DELOACH

The start of a major pandemic isn’t the most opportune time to buy a business, but that’s exactly what Barry and Rita Wilson did. April 1st marked the one-year anniversary of the Wilsons buying a longtime Beaufort institution, Murr Printing, in Downtown Beaufort. Bob and Linda Murr bought the print shop from Bob’s brother in 1997, and now they were ready to retire and spend time with their grandkids and family. The Wilsons were part-time Beaufort residents, going back-and-forth to their home in Charlotte.
“Beaufort was the place we wanted our forever home to be,” said Rita, “so a few years ago, when we had a chance to buy a waterfront home here, we jumped on it.” They weren’t strangers to Beaufort, vacationing on Fripp Island every spring break as their son, Reid, now 24, was growing up. “There was just something that kept us coming back year after year, and each time we drove out of Beaufort to return to Charlotte, I cried,” exclaimed Rita.

“Beaufort has been an incredibly welcoming town,” says Barry. With over 30 years’ experience as an ad agency executive and owner, Barry, a University of South Carolina graduate, thought perhaps he and his wife would open a small boutique agency in town. Rita, a graduate of the University of Alabama, also offers her own set of impressive talents with a background in large-scale consumer shows and special events. Yet, fate had a different plan for both of them!

“Just as one of our stays in Beaufort was ending,” says Barry, “Rita and I walked into Murr Printing and met Bob Murr. He was very gracious to us, giving us a tour, and telling us about the printing business that he, his wife, and his brother before him, had built for nearly 30 years.” Understanding that the Murrs were looking to retire, the Wilsons realized they had found what they were looking for. “We reached out to Bob about purchasing his business and he agreed.”

“We were thrilled,” says Rita. “Bob and Linda wanted someone who would continue to build the business and maintain the printing company’s strong reputation here in Beaufort. We’re honored they placed their trust in us!”

Together, the Wilsons and Murrs, who assisted with the post-sale transition, spent the next few months transforming the business into AlphaGraphics, a franchise that Barry and Rita own the rights for in Beaufort, Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island. Their entire staff are former Murr employees, including designers, customer service reps, and production staff. And their son, Reid, put a budding career as a NASCAR driver on hold to join them and learn the business.

“We officially took over the center in April 2020,” says Barry. “In light of the pending economic downturn, we remained committed to the business, making a significant investment in new equipment, technology, and training, and expanding beyond just print services to full-service marketing solutions.”
That’s where the Wilsons’ previous career experience in Charlotte, NC, helped broaden the scope of services to benefit businesses in the Beaufort, Bluffton, and Hilton Head areas. From creative services such as branding, design, copywriting, and logo design to direct mail campaigns, brochures, signs, advertisements, and more, the Wilsons are striving to establish a one-stop shop, where full-service agency-style consultation (without the “big city” price tag) is a key to their clients’ business success.
“We’re more than just order takers,” emphasizes Rita. “We’re here to partner with you, to take a look at the big picture, and to suggest branding and marketing opportunities across all the touchpoints of your business.”

The Wilsons and their team at AlphaGraphics have connected with many businesses across the Lowcountry. Drive down Bay Street or shop around town and it’s likely you’ll see marquee-style signs, banners, window and door decals, and retail signage the company produced.

“Our signage products have really taken off,” reports Barry, adding that signs are the fastest growing segment within the printing industry. Rita agrees, “When you walk inside many of our area stores, the retail signs you see in the windows and inside the store are some of the things we print. With our investment in new technology, we’re now able to print a wide variety and styles of high-quality, creative signage more efficiently and cost-effectively than ever before.”

“We’re thankful that we’ve been embraced by so many local businesses,” says Barry. “From the hospital to local government, to area restaurants and stores, to local builders, and more, our goal is to understand their business, what their goals and mission are, and help them to get noticed and get business. We really do feel ‘linked’ to their success, and we’re appreciative of their support of our business, too.”

For the Wilsons, this dedication to the community extends beyond the walls of their AlphaGraphics’ center at 1012 Boundary Street. During their first year in business, they’ve been involved in many volunteer opportunities and sponsorships throughout the community. From the USCB Center of the Arts Women’s Wellness Week to the Beaufort International Film Festival, to the Pat Conroy Literary Center, and other local organizations and events, the Wilsons are fully invested in what makes the Lowcountry so special.

“We love this community and joining others to make it a wonderful place for everyone who lives or visits here,” said Rita.