Electric Ghost

This T-shirt screen-printing business in Little Rock’s SoMa neighborhood was born of inspiration, determination and even “countless” YouTube videos.

Owner Justin Sharp plunged into the business in 2016, researching screen printing, buying equipment, taking classes and studying videos. “And boom, AR-T’s was born,” Sharp said.

The name was a wordplay on art and “Arkansas Tees,” he said, and soon he was selling “silly, stylish or impactful” printed T-shirts with messages promoting businesses and organizations, as well as its own T-shirt brand.

AR-T’s merged with Electric Ghost Screen Printing in 2021, and its five-employee shop emphasizes communication and a hands-on approach to meet the exact needs of every customer. Tariffs on imported blank T-shirts have raised costs, but Electric Ghost is adjusting.

“As a queer-owned business in the South, we pride ourselves on creating designs that give a voice to minorities and promote diversity in a state that often does the opposite,” Sharp said.