Local Screen Print Business Works with Arts Community

Ryan Hadbavny showed local legend how much of a fan he is with his best talents—a screen printed shirt with an unforgettable slogan.

“Sebak is the New Black.”

“The first time we met him, we knew he was doing a signing at Borders and that’s where I told him I can pretty much recite ‘Kennywood Memories’ off by heart,” Hadbavny said of the famed WQED documentary.

Hadbavny, who runs his own screen printing business in his Regent Square business, said he and his girlfriend, Autumn Kunselman, wanted to show their Sebak love during their next encounter at the WQED yard sale.

“We knew he would be there and had the idea of making a shirt in his honor,” Hadbavny said. “She came up with the slogan and I came up with the design—we just walked up to the table to meet him in the shirts and he loved it.”

Soon after, an order from the WQED staff came in to Hadbavny Prints and more of the shirts were made. That word of mouth style of business is exactly what the young artists thrives off of, as he continues to build the screen printing center at home.

While he focuses on working with a network of schools and college groups, he said he is hoping to print a second round of “Sebak is the New Black” shirts to benefit WQED in the near future.

“I have a lot of friends in the theater scene here and I also do stage tech in Greensburg and throughout Westmoreland County,” Hadbavny said. “I have friends directing a lot of high school shows, and they give me a lot of new business, designing shirts for their shows, school clubs, a couple local Greensburg bands, and small businesses through my extended family.”

While he moved to Regent Square in August, he said the move has been good for business.

“It was critical because I was working in my parents' basement with not enough space,” he said. “It’s been great to help me get working more efficiently and having everything in one place where I need it. Everything is at home and I do all the designing and printing myself.”

Shirts come in on the UPS truck to his front door step and they all get produced in the house.

“We deliver from there,” Hadbavny said.

Check out some of his designs at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hadbavny-Screenprints/210028715694005.