ORANGE — Charles “Ray” Cartello was having his 1989 GMC truck restored by Norman Sargent when the owner of Graverobbers Restoration mentioned he had some space for rent next door to his business at 8 West Main St.

Cartello, who has operated Classic Signs & Truck Lettering for decades, saw an opportunity for growth and moved in last November.

“I always had a shop. I had a shop out of my house. I worked out of there for years,” he said. “So I never had a storefront and I just figured I would give it a whirl and see if it actually pays the rent.”

Cartello is self-taught in his trade. He designs and prints apparel, business cards and signs in addition to adding lettering to vehicles. His clients include Graverobbers Restoration, Leslie’s Garage and Pizza Factory.

“Usually I work with all small businesses,” Cartello said. “It’s all I’ve been doing for years.”

Cartello has dabbled in this line of work since before his roughly 25-year career as a firefighter in Agawam. He retired from that job in 1994.

“In high school, I was really good in art. I did all the scenery for the plays ... and the advertising for the plays in the hallway and all that. I always liked cars, too, so I became a mechanic when I got out of high school,” he recounted, adding that he eventually lettered some race cars and made some signs for a local market owner.

Cartello’s only employee is Kyle Wetherby, who works part-time.

“I’m completely and entirely new to all this. He’s been teaching me from the start, as far as putting the signs together and all that stuff,” Wetherby said. “Ray’s been a friend for a long time and he just asked if I wanted to help out.”

Cartello said Wetherby is handy because he has worked as a carpenter and mechanic.

Cartello also mentioned wintertime is notoriously slow for the printing and lettering industry but he expects business will pick up in the spring and hold strong until late fall.

Classic Signs & Truck Lettering has a functioning Facebook page and Cartello can be reached at classicsignshop@gmail.com or 413-297-3742.

Reach Domenic Poli at dpoli@recorder.com.