At Sonshine Sports Apparel, we can put cool stuff on shirts all day long but it’s our Golden Rule philosophy that keeps us in business. We aren’t just a small business; we are also consumers and we like to get great products for fair prices, just like you. You can trust us to be honest and fair because it’s the right way to do business.
History from Beckie’s Point of View
My dad, Rich Marks, started Sonshine Graphics as a hobby business in 1989. When he wanted to retire in 2008, we were faced with the question of what to do with the existing business. My brother, Chris, bought the equipment to add to his shop in Columbia, MO and I started Sonshine Sports Apparel in Independence, MO with not much more than the existing phone number and a dream. I bought a full-color direct to garment printer and started printing shirts in the spare bedroom of our house with the help of my best friend and hubby, Sean, who was also busy with his own financial planning business. Our family and our business were both growing rapidly during those years so we moved in 2010 which allowed us to still work at home but expand to include screen printing in a detached garage…a significant upgrade from the 10×12 bedroom! In 2016, we moved from the garage to a fantastic location in Historic Downtown Independence, MO where we added an automatic screen-printing press and several embroidery machines to our in-house offerings. Sonshine has continued to grow since our move to the Square and we are blessed to give back to our hometown community in many ways.
Independence is a town rich with history and we are honored to participate in preserving the Historic Downtown District for generations to come. We both serve on the Board of Directors for the Independence Square Association and Sean serves on two additional Boards with the goals of historic preservation and improving economic development. Sean and I care deeply about Independence and we express that love by investing our time and money in the things God cares about too…kids and community. Our way of doing business might seem counter-cultural, but we consider every customer as a friend and every dollar of income is a blessing. We hold these blessings with an open hand and appreciate every opportunity we have to be generous with what God has entrusted to us. But more than just time and money, we believe God answers prayers so we pray without ceasing for our City and our customers. If you ever need specific prayer for yourself, just ask. We would love to pray with you!
