Editor’s note: Made in Tarrant is an occasional series on small businesses started in Tarrant County. Submit your business here.
Arlington resident Cristian Berumen is a thriving businessman at age 22.
The Sam Houston High School graduate launched his custom embroidery and decal shop, business, Cristian’s CustomsCreations, a custom embroidery and decal shop, in 2020 after he started a Western clothing line in his senior year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fighting boredom and making money for college were his main motivations, he said.
“My mom had started a business, my dad was starting his own business and my sister was also doing her own business, so I decided to do that also,” Berumen said from his new shop at 2004 E. Abram St.
Berumen’s business, which started in his family’s garage, evolved from his clothing line as he received requests for custom orders. Within four months, he shifted toward embroidery and creating decals, stickers and other items that could be customized for clients.
“A lot of people were asking for custom things so I started focusing on those products,” he said.
Berumen, who has worked since age 16, promoted his products on Instagram and Facebook, which also led to referrals from customers.
“My Instagram marketing is pretty good,” he said, adding that he has nearly 11,000 followers on the platform. Instagram.
Since then, he’s also expanded to marketing items in Spanish-language videos on TikTok. He is customizing banners, tent canopies, business cards as well as doing custom embroidery on hats, shirts, jackets and other clothing.
Customers “like the products,” he said. “It’s pretty much word of mouth.”
Earlier this year, Berumen set up shop in a building that once housed the day care he attended as a child with his siblings and a cousin.
“I was always driving by this location all the time,” Berumen said. “It used to be a day care I used to attend when I was about 7 or 8 years old.”
The Arlington location has helped his business grow.
“It’s doing really well,” Berumen said. “With an actual location, people can feel more comfortable about stopping by and checking out what we’re doing.”
Canales Furniture, which has North TexasFort Worth-Dallas locations including Arlington and Fort Worth, has promoted Berumen’s business in their community posts online.
Berumen is “a young business professional whose dedication and talent have impressed me,” according to a Facebook post from Canales University, a community and education center that opened in 2022 in the Canales Furniture store at 102 E. Interstate 20 in Arlington. “I have consistently observed his exceptional work ethic, creativity and ability to navigate his own business. His ability to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively has been instrumental in driving projects forward and fostering positive relationships with key partners in the community.”
As his business grows, Berumen is adding new equipment to produce laser-cut designs on pens, acrylic signs and more.
He’s also growing his business with the launch of Small Business Mercado shopping events in Arlington. The market at Canales Furniture features small businesses from across the area as well as Berumen’s custom shop.
“The name is half English and half Spanish so I can reach pretty much everybody,” he said.
Want to know more?
Learn more about Cristian’s Customs at cristianscustoms.com or on his Facebook and Instagram pages.
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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