Spotlight Series: Carmen Rad, CR&A Custom

Meet Carmen Rad — founder of CR&A Custom, a powerhouse woman-owned large-format printing company that's been turning heads across Los Angeles for over 30 years. From Super Bowl signage to the Social District's newly wrapped utility boxes, Carmen and her team help bring the city to life through bold, beautiful graphics—right from the heart of the Social District.

Tell us about your business and connection to the Social District.

We’ve been in business for 32 years and moved into our current building back in 2008. We’re a large-format digital printing company located just a few blocks from the Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena. If you’ve seen big, beautiful graphics throughout LA—chances are, we printed them! From mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies and major events like the Super Bowl and NFL activations, we handle it all. Being in the Social District gives us quick access to key clients like AEG and allows us to respond to last-minute requests fast. Plus, I went to college downtown—this city is a part of me.

What do you love most about the Social District?

There’s always something happening! Whether we’re heading to a game or trying new restaurants (shoutout to the new Javier’s!), there’s no shortage of places to eat and explore. I especially love going to Kings games—the energy is wild! You’ve got players slamming into each other one second and taking a timeout the next. It’s chaotic in the best way.

Looking ahead, what's your hope for the future of the Social District?

We’ve got some huge events coming—FIFA, the Olympics—and I really hope the city invests in the areas that need some TLC before then. Our team is growing, we’re hiring, and we’re investing in our infrastructure to meet those demands. I just hope the city holds up its end to make the neighborhood even safer, stronger, and more welcoming—for businesses and residents alike.

How is your business part of shaping the neighborhood?

We currently have 41 employees, and we’re actively hiring! We bring economic growth to this corner of downtown—our team supports the local coffee shops, cafés, and juice bars every day. We pay our taxes, our utilities, our assessments—we’re rooted here and proud to contribute to the fabric of the Social District.

What local events are you most excited about checking out?

I’ve got my eye on the Friday night salsa events happening downtown! My husband’s not much of a dancer, but I’ve been encouraging our staff to check it out after work. I’m Puerto Rican, so dancing’s in my blood—we learned in the kitchen! With artists like Bad Bunny performing at major events, I want to make sure we’re ready to move.

Any final thoughts?

We’re excited about projects like the Social District's utility box designs—it’s fun to see art and branding beautify the neighborhood. If we can get one near LA LIVE, where our clients walk by every day, I’d love that. It’s the little things like that that add color and pride to our city.