Shatto & Sons Custom T-Shirts: 50 Years of Printing in Encinitas, CA

Last updated July 25, 2026

Jim Shatto opened his first shop in 1975, and the business he built has been putting ink on fabric in the Encinitas area ever since. Shatto & Sons Custom T-Shirts, located on Hymettus Ave in Encinitas, CA 92024, is a family-owned screen printing and custom apparel operation that has outlasted trends, technology shifts, and the steady churn of small-business turnover that defines most coastal California towns. Fifty years is a long time to do anything well, and for this shop, the staying power comes from something straightforward: quality work, low minimums, and a genuine willingness to talk with customers rather than just process their orders.

The business operates under the broader Encinitas zip code but has deep roots in the Leucadia neighborhood, a stretch of the city known for its relaxed, community-minded character. Custom t-shirt printing is a competitive category, with online services offering automated quotes and bulk discounts at scale. Shatto & Sons competes differently, leaning on personal relationships and fast turnaround rather than volume pricing. For customers who want to talk through their design with a real person and get their order back quickly, that approach matters.

History and Founding of Shatto & Sons in Encinitas

Jim Shatto first opened the doors in 1975 under the name Deluxe Airbrush. Airbrush work was the craft of the era, popular for custom apparel at beach towns up and down the California coast. As the industry shifted and customer demand evolved, the shop transitioned from airbrush to silkscreen printing, adapting its techniques without abandoning its core identity as a family operation focused on custom wearables.

That willingness to evolve while staying local is a defining thread in the shop's history. The business didn't franchise, didn't expand into a regional chain, and didn't pivot into unrelated markets. It stayed focused on t-shirt art and apparel, building expertise over decades rather than spreading thin. Today, Ryan Shatto runs the operation, carrying forward what his father established and bringing his own approach to customer communication and service.

The transition from Jim to Ryan represents a natural generational handoff, the kind that keeps a family business alive past the founder's tenure. Ryan grew up around the shop and now manages day-to-day operations, customer relationships, and production. The business has been serving the Encinitas community for over 50 years, a milestone that few independent print shops anywhere in Southern California can match.

Shatto & Sons Services and Specialties

The shop's core offering is custom t-shirt printing, with silkscreen as the primary production method. Silkscreen, or screen printing, produces durable, vibrant prints well-suited to both single-color designs and multi-color artwork. It's the industry standard for garment decoration when quality and longevity matter more than one-off convenience.

What separates Shatto & Sons from larger competitors and online-only services comes down to three things the shop emphasizes directly:

• Quick turnaround times that accommodate tight deadlines
• Low order minimums, making the shop accessible for small runs, events, and organizations that can't justify large quantities
• Personalized service, meaning customers work with a real person through the entire process rather than navigating an automated system

Low minimums are particularly significant in the custom apparel space. Most large-scale screen printers require order quantities that price out small nonprofits, school groups, local sports teams, and individuals who need a short run of shirts for a specific event. Shatto & Sons removes that barrier, which broadens who can actually use the service.

The shop handles custom t-shirt art and apparel broadly, so beyond basic tees the production capability extends to other garment types. Customers with specific design questions or artwork needs can work directly with Ryan to figure out the best approach for their project.

Team and Leadership at Shatto & Sons

Ryan Shatto runs the business and serves as the primary point of contact for customers from initial inquiry through order completion. His approach to customer service is a consistent theme in how people describe their experience with the shop. He communicates quickly, follows through, and stays engaged throughout the production process rather than handing off to different staff at each stage.

That kind of single-point accountability is unusual in a production environment, where orders often move through multiple hands with information getting lost between steps. At Shatto & Sons, Ryan's involvement from start to finish keeps the process clear and reduces the back-and-forth that frustrates customers at other shops.

The family-owned structure means the person answering questions is also the person responsible for the final product. That alignment of accountability and service is one of the practical advantages of working with an owner-operated business rather than a staffed storefront where employees may have limited authority or context.

Milestones and Track Record

• Founded in 1975 by Jim Shatto under the original name Deluxe Airbrush
• Transitioned from airbrush to silkscreen printing as industry methods evolved
• Over 50 years of continuous operation serving the Encinitas and broader San Diego North County community
• Currently operated by Ryan Shatto, second generation of the founding family

Reaching the 50-year mark as an independent, family-owned business in a competitive coastal California market is a genuine accomplishment. The shop has navigated multiple economic cycles, changes in printing technology, and the rise of large online competitors without losing its footing in the local market.

What Customers Say About Shatto & Sons

Customers who work with Shatto & Sons frequently point to Ryan's communication as a standout part of the experience. In a category where customers often feel left in the dark between placing an order and receiving it, the shop's responsiveness is a genuine differentiator. Sonya Mohamed, who has worked with the shop over multiple years, described the experience this way:

We've had stellar experiences with Shatto & Sons over the past few years. Really good service and communication.

- Sonya Mohamed

That kind of repeat engagement reflects something real about the shop's consistency. Customers who come back over multiple years aren't doing so out of habit alone; they're getting results they trust.

Nicholas Dean offered a direct take on both the service and the finished product:

Ryan was extremely helpful throughout the entire process, and the t-shirts are beautiful.

- Nicholas Dean

Amy Lewis echoed the communication theme, noting that Ryan's responsiveness made the process easy:

Ryan was amazing to work with. He communicated quickly and efficiently.

- amy lewis

Across these accounts, the pattern is consistent: customers get clear communication, a smooth process, and a finished product they're happy with. For a custom apparel order, where design intent has to survive translation into ink and fabric, that outcome isn't guaranteed. The shop's track record suggests it's the norm here.

Location and Community: Encinitas, CA

Shatto & Sons is located on Hymettus Ave in Encinitas, CA 92024, in the Leucadia section of the city. Leucadia sits along the Pacific Coast Highway corridor, a stretch of Encinitas that has maintained a distinctly local character even as the broader city has grown. The shop's presence here spans more than five decades, making it one of the longer-running independent businesses in the area.

Encinitas itself is a city where real estate has appreciated significantly over time, with historical home price appreciation running around 8.5% annually in broader market terms. That kind of growth reflects steady demand and a community that continues to attract residents who value the area's coastal lifestyle and local business culture. A shop like Shatto & Sons fits naturally into that context, offering something that larger commercial centers don't: a direct relationship with the people making your product.

The shop serves the full Encinitas community and the surrounding North County San Diego area, working with individuals, local organizations, sports teams, schools, and businesses that need custom apparel without the friction of large-order minimums or impersonal online processes.

Why Choose Shatto & Sons Custom T-Shirts in Encinitas

Fifty years of operation is a straightforward argument on its own. A business that has served the same community since 1975, adapted its methods as technology changed, and passed from founder to second generation without losing its identity has demonstrated something that can't be manufactured: durability. Shatto & Sons isn't a new entrant trying to compete on price alone; it's an established shop with deep roots and a clear sense of what it does well.

For customers who want custom t-shirts or apparel printed by someone who will actually pick up the phone, answer questions clearly, and deliver a finished product that matches the original vision, Shatto & Sons offers that combination at low minimums and with fast turnaround. The shop is on Hymettus Ave in Encinitas, CA 92024, and more information is available at shattoandsons.com.

Customer quotes shown above are from public Google reviews.