Happy Birthday, Booth & Stager!
2020 hit fast, and it hit hard. As if the year wasn’t tough enough, if you were one of the millions of people who lost their jobs due to Covid-19, things got even tougher. According to a report from the Congressional Research Service, the unemployment rate of Americans jumped up to a whopping 14.8% in April of 2020 - the first full month after Covid-19 hit the states.
Matticus Lowery and Michael Kirsner are two examples of those hit by pandemic-fueled layoffs. In a world full of chaos and confusion, they found themselves with a lot of free time, and a lot of “what next?”.
Although unemployment led to hours of job hunting, stressing, and concern, this misfortune found its way into an opportunity.
Michael had an idea and a concept, and Matticus had the knowledge and experience. These two friends were the perfect combination to bring that brainchild to life. And on January 29, 2021, Booth & Stager was born.
Booth & Stager provides artists and performers with a platform to create and sell merchandise to their friends, family, and fans. In many cases, if an artist wants to sell merch, they would have to research a printing company, create designs, and have those items printed in bulk. Then they would have to carry around boxes of shirts, for example, to every show, and try to sell in person. During a pandemic, especially, this would prove difficult to do with no live shows. With Booth & Stager, items are available online, and printed on-demand. There are no up-front costs to entertainers.
It’s been one year since the launch of Booth & Stager, and Michael and Matticus are still as excited as they were on day one.
“We consider every new Stager as another successful partnership. It’s all about helping local entertainers promote their brands. We’re always talking about the company, and always trying to get people to set up a Booth with us. It’s easy for them, and we love seeing artists promote their merch. It’s so exciting, and a really cool feeling knowing we helped them.”
In the year since Booth & Stager’s launch, they have given more than 30 new artists a chance to create merchandise for their fans. They have also raised money for one local favorite, Nadine Hughes, while she battled Covid-19. And they have used the introduction of the Covid-19 vaccination as a catalyst to raise money for The Artist Relief Project.
It’s been a busy year for Michael and Matticus at Booth & Stager, and their plans for the company continue to grow. Looking back at what they’ve accomplished only further fuels the fire looking forward.
Follow Booth & Stager on Facebook and Instagram to see where 2022 takes the business. And of course, if you have any friends or favorite performers that you think need merchandise, send them our way!
Thanks for an awesome first year!