In early 1999, a young local couple had a dream of starting a business. Led only by their vision and hope for the future, they ordered some equipment and supplies, then attended some necessary training in Toronto. Then, with only one month of prior preparation, Carter’s Sports Cresting was started on June 1st, 1999 by Mark and Brenda Carter.
Over two-decades later they are still going strong, and we are very happy to say that on June 1st, 2022, Amherst based Carter’s Sports Cresting celebrated their 23-year anniversary – a very impressive achievement we must say!
They began their business journey in a small storefront located in the very same building that they still call home, although now it looks a lot different. They opened their doors with only the embroidery division, just one piece of equipment, and with Mark as the only full-time worker – that was until Brenda joined him full-time a few months later.
The Cumberland Life team recently went for a tour of the expanded and improved Carter’s location at 141 Victoria Street, and we were very impressed with the scale of the operation and all of the moving parts and people that make up their thriving business.
When speaking with co-owner Mark Carter, he said: “We have been very fortunate over the years. With lots of hard work, a little bit of luck, and some truly great staff, we have been able to adapt to the changing needs of Amherst, Cumberland County and beyond! There are lots of pitfalls in running a business, but we are super proud to have been able to a navigate around most of them and still be here 23 years later.”
When asked about the longevity and success of CSC, Co-owner Brenda Carter put it down to the support of the great community of Cumberland – but she believes support is a two-way street.
Brenda went on to say: “We support the local community by sponsoring events such as the Carter Cubs ball team, various Carter’s Sports Cresting Curling events and golf events, as well as classes at the Cumberland County Ex, Ducks Unlimited, Carter’s Sports… Cresting Bluenose hockey tournament and 4-H, just to name a few. If there is a prize table or auction at a local event, more often than not you will find a prize donated by us – and that’s just our way of giving back to the community that has supported us over the years.”
Mark and Brenda work alongside their staff, with Mark in HR, sales & accounting and Brenda in the Embroidery Division, digitizing & ordering. “We are very lucky to have such great staff here as we could not do what we do without their skills and hard work. The day of our anniversary we ordered in pizza and enjoyed cake and other treats together as a team – it was a day we will remember for a long time!” said Brenda proudly.
Each Christmas Carter’s has a staff celebration on their last day before Christmas, then they close until after January 1st to give their appreciated staff a much-needed break. Brenda noted: “On each employee’s birthday we all enjoy either pizza or Chinese food, and any employee who works over 10 years receives a custom gold and red ‘Star’ ring to celebrate their achievement and commitment to our business. So far we have had four rings made, with two more coming soon.”
There really is a lot going on at Carter’s Sports Cresting in 2022 and beyond. They now have 8 full-time staff and have become much more than just cresting. Carter’s now has 5 separate divisions, which include: Embroidery, Signs, Engraving, Printing, and Promotional Products. “We can customize just about everything, from jerseys to mugs and from hats to vehicles.” Mark added enthusiastically.
When asked what it was like doing business in Cumberland County for over 20 years, the couple both noted how grateful they were to the community for their support over the years, and how blessed they feel to be able to contribute towards the success of their staff and other local businesses who utilize their great services and offerings.
“We have some incredible customers who come back to us again and again, and we are so grateful for that. We pride ourselves on doing great work and always putting the customer first. We think that’s the right way to do business and we will continue to be driven by the success of our customers, our staff and our wider community of Cumberland and beyond.” Said Mark passionately.
After talking with Mark and Brenda about their journey, we could see the passion for what they do is still burning brightly inside of them, and that is a wonderful thing to see. Business is hard no matter where you are in the world, and when we hear stories like this about small businesses who started with nothing and became something special, it reminds us that these businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and their efforts and achievements should be celebrated and appreciated by us all!
Congratulations to Mark and Brenda Carter and the entire team at Carter’s Sports Cresting on their 23rd anniversary – we look forward to watching you continue to succeed for decades to come.
