McKinley Customs

l firefighter and had no idea that it would lead me to where I am today. Shortly thereafter, a couple friends reached out to me to have one made and then I opened a small store on Etsy. I wasn’t sure if this was the career move I wanted to pursue upon exiting the Army, but the local support I received was overwhelming and in early 2021 I decided to push forward and go for it. My last year on active duty was intense as I cranked out my as much as I could to build a portfolio of my work. In August 2022 I opened my store in the Base eXchange mall on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ. At that time, I had very little inventory and not a whole lot of options. Over time, experimenting and tinkering around with the equipment I had, I taught myself how to create things I didn’t think I could ever do. In the summer of 2023, I upgraded and moved into a larger storefront where I am today. As I continued to work with the military on base, local law enforcement, and so many others by providing memorable one-of-a-kind items that will last a lifetime, I can’t picture myself doing anything else right now.

- Clint