Welcome, and thanks for taking a moment to learn about us. My name is Jim and I am the owner of Casual Groove and a cancer survivor.
I have been working in the graphic design and advertising industry for most of my adult life, with the past 20 years or so dedicated to commercial signs, storefronts and vehicles. Unfortunately, my recent battle with cancer has made it impossible for me to continue in that line of work. I now use the skills that I've acquired to create unique, custom accessories and decorative accents on a much smaller scale.
Every item sold on this website is handcrafted, packaged and shipped from my small, home based workshop in North Carolina. No factory, no warehouse, no employees,... just myself, a handful of tools and supplies, and a whole lot of coffee.
This website was originally created in the fall of 2021 to support my new sign and vinyl venture here in North Carolina, however, in December of 2021, I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer at the base of my tongue and immediately began a vigorous treatment cycle involving weeks of chemotherapy, daily radiation sessions and then surgery to remove tumors and lymph nodes from my neck. My incredible wife worked 10 hours a day just to keep us afloat as I drove myself to daily treatments, barely able to walk at times. My latest scans show that I am now "cancer free", however, the debilitating side effects from the treatment and surgery will be with me forever.
I'm finally able to be somewhat active again and trying to piece my life and business back together. Every sale here helps me in the battle to survive another day and it is my hope to add an affiliate/fundraising program in the near future that would allow me to assist others in need with a portion of the proceeds from this website. Thanks for reading, and thanks for visiting Casual Groove.
By the way, my wife still works over 40 hours a week and yet manages to assist me with packing and shipping. She truly is an amazing woman.
