The timing couldn’t have been better for Community Proud’s purchase of FLX Glassware, said owner Chad Lahr.

The company at 423 Exchange St. had just purchased a laser engraver as part of expanding its services, which run from screen printing, embroidery and digital marketing services to custom signs, banners, stickers, and more. Lahr said FLX Glassware’s former owner, Joe Cammarata, decided to offer the business because he couldn’t devote the time needed to grow it given the responsibilities of his job with Lyons National Bank.

FLX Glassware offers stem or stemless wine glasses in 12-piece gift sets highlighting each of the 11 Finger Lakes, with one additional glass representing the whole region. Cammarata farmed out the etching work; Lahr won’t need to do that.

“We can do this in house,” he said.

The Geneva business owner said FLX Glassware is a 4-year-old company with an established wholesale business, including 22 regional wineries and specialty shops among the customers, including Jim Cecere, owner of Linden Street businesses FLX Goods and Vinifera New York.

“We’re also going to sell it in our store,” Lahr said. “It’s a cool gift idea, especially for the holidays. It’s just a simple idea, but it has a great niche (customer base). I think there’s a lot of opportunity to expand the market.”

Besides being able to produce the wine glasses in house, the laser engraver allows Community Proud to produce a number of new engraved products, he noted.

In the meantime, Lahr has enough FLX Glassware inventory to keep the business rolling for a while. He has 4,000 of the etched wine glasses stored in space at the Geneva Enterprise Development Center.

“We have ample stock,” he said.

Community Proud, which employs five (not including Lahr), has seen steady business growth over the years. A key component to that growth was the purchase of Space Vinyl in 2018. Space Vinyl specialized in custom signs, banners, stickers, graphic designs and business cards.

Community Proud took over the former Space Vinyl space after the purchase.

Lahr also noted that his line of “I Heart FLX” T-shirts and other apparel and products continues to be a big seller among tourists and locals.