In 1986, Coastal Engraving started in a room of Owner/Manager Ron Wight’s home while he was a business student at UNCW. Having been trained as an engraver at a job he held throughout his college years, he jumped at the opportunity to buy a pantograph engraver and some awards stock that originated with a local sporting goods store that closed. Coastal Engraving was born. Upon graduation from UNCW, Ron put his experience and education to work and leased a small retail space in Kerr Station Village in Wilmington, NC. By the 90s, business was thriving, and he purchased 2,000 sq. feet of space at South Kerr Business Center across South Kerr Avenue from the previous location. 

Ron attributes the success of Coastal Engraving to superior customer service and a staff that genuinely cares. As a consumer himself, Ron knows the frustration of products not meeting expectations and untrained or undertrained apathetic salespeople. His vision for the company has always been a place where people get what they want, at a reasonable price, and on time, every time, and are treated with courtesy and respect. That is what Coastal Engraving team members strive for every day.

In May 2025, after several years was able to find the right buyer to continue the Coastal Engraving legacy. The new owner, Chris Utesch, is excited to continue building on the strong foundation of serving the greater Wilmington community. The team is growing, and various systems are being deployed, including improved estimating and invoicing software, and the ability to place online orders.