American Made
Peruse All Things Patriotic at OP1VET in Goshen
Writer / Photographer Ali Snyder
When you set foot inside the doors of Operation 1 Veteran Inc., better known as OP1VET, in Goshen, youre greeted with smiling faces and bold, relentlessly patriotic apparel. Take a look around and youll find the walls lined with American products including military patches, engraved tumblers and mugs, not to mention locally sourced, live-edge wood-burned products.
Changing one veterans life at a time has been the motto and vision of Owner Ed Christner since his business officially opened in 2018.
A veteran of Desert Storm, he knows the ins and outs of what the local area needs, not only to support our veterans, but also to rock American apparel with pride. While you shop, youll not only find amazing, unique items, but also feel fulfilled knowing that up to 50% of each purchase flows back into communities to change the lives of our veterans. You can feel the passion the company has for giving back while you peruse the store, read testimonials on the shelves and speak to the highly knowledgeable employees.
After Christner served our country, he came back home and successfully ran several RV plants in the area, among other ventures. Later he got back to his military roots, and used the knowledge and experience he gained while serving our country. He decided to use those skills to give back to communities both near and far. He has even supported veterans as far as Texas by donating Action Trackchairs, to help veterans maneuver easier and do activities that a normal wheelchair might not allow them to.
We focus primarily on giving back and giveaways, Christner says. Typically the veteran recipients of his giveaways do not even know hes coming.
Not only does the shop serve as a place where you can get T-shirts with bold phrases for brothers and sisters alike, but it also has a state-of-the-art laser printing machine. As you head to the back of the shop youll find the Boss Laser LS-3655 machine running at an incredibly fast pace, with green, yellow, orange and red lights beaming off of it. Christner didnt always have a vision of owning this machine, but when he couldnt find a source for his engraving idea, he took matters into his own hands.
Whether youre looking for a special gift such as a decanter and glass set, or want to create your own engraved glass, the team at OP1VET will be of great assistance. They are even able to melt unique items into the glassware such as bullets, golf balls and arrowheads.
Their unique engraving service can meet almost any customer need. They provide a variety of colors for their insulated tumblers, from brands like YETI that you can choose from in-store. They also allow you to bring in your own tumblers for engraving. After you begin talking with the staff, they can make suggestions or take your own idea and run with it. Some customers might prefer a subtle look on their engraved pieces while others may want a high-contrast finish.
Head back to the main retail space and youll find even more American-made products including emergency food kits, high-quality gloves, wood-burned plaques, hats, flags, patches, decals and more. You can even buy jewelry pieces from brands like Buffalo Girls Salvage that serve as great gifts or special pieces for yourself.
The Byrna launcher is an especially unique item you can purchase from OP1VET. It is an incredibly powerful, non-lethal self-defense weapon that is powered by compressed air. It shoots .68-caliber kinetic and chemical irritants from up to 60 away. The business is one of the only locations in the area where you can find this item and the projectiles to go with it.
You can find OP1VET on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, where they showcase their unique business and the process of giving back to the veteran community. Their live feeds are a great way to stay connected, get educated and support a small local business that is doing big things.
OP1VET is located at 117 South Main Street in Goshen. You can shop online anytime at op1vet.com.
