, 1974
to Patricia and Aldo Marin Sr., the youngest boy of their ten children
(seven boys and three girls). Being the son of a well-known boat builder
and fisherman, it was no coincidence that Giovanni would come to cherish
the sea from a very young age. After graduating from San Pedro High
School in 1994, Giovanni joined his brothers at Excalibur Tours, a
popular tour agency specializing in island and inland adventures. For the
next three years, Giovanni made a living as a tour guide escorting
numerous guests on manatee sightseeing tours and trips to Maya ruins.
In June of 1998, Giovanni also partnered with one of
his brothers to purchase one of San Pedro's landmarks - The Tackle Box
Bar. Fortunately, the bar was situated on a dock located in the center of
town. Being an ambitious young man, Giovanni took advantage of the
location and built a water taxi terminal to service the many passengers
traveling to and from the island. Unfortunately though, only four months
after the purchase, Hurricane Mitch took its toll on San Pedro, and The
Tackle Box, too. This horrible ordeal was hard on the young businessman
but Giovanni did not give up so easily. Just as the town ended up back on
its feet, so did Giovanni and his business. By January of the following
year, the new and improved "Shark's Bar" opened its doors to the public.
For two years, Giovanni enjoyed the fruits of his labor but eventually
came to a decision to explore other areas.
Born with natural artistic abilities, Giovanni
employed these skills in creating business signs, as well as painting
names on boats. Knowing how much he enjoyed this occupation and realizing
the growing need for this art, a friend convinced him to venture further
into this business. So, Giovanni decided to sell his 34-foot skiff and
traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, USA where he familiarized himself with
the necessary equipment needed for a high-quality sign business. With the
knowledge he gained, Giovanni began working out of his house, but by
March of 2003, Giovanni found he needed to open a second location
(Giovanni's Plastic Signs & Designs at the Sol Plaza on Pescador
Drive).
Today, with his innovative designs, Giovanni's signs
have changed the way San Pedro advertises. Through this business, Mr.
Marin offers unique products, specializing in digital computer
advertisements such as: luminated signs, water-proof banners, magnetic
signs, 3-D foam signs, air-brushed T-Shirts, golf cart designs and much
more. Some of his most impressive creations include the interior and
exterior design work at Jaguar's Temple Night Club and the illuminated
sign at San Pedro SuperMarket. His business has become such a resounding
success it forced Giovanni to acquire the services of his brother Amir as
business manager. Apart from the wide selection of items offered by
Giovanni he says that by next year he plans to offer silkscreen prints.
"I want to take San Pedro to another level of advertising. Since this is
a tourist destination, I intend to offer businesses a more modern and
high-tech way of promoting their services," Mr. Marin told
The San Pedro Sun.
Although his business takes up much of his day,
Giovanni still makes certain to set aside time to spend with his wife
Maribel and son Giomar. An ambitious entrepreneur in San Pedro, without a
doubt Giovanni Marin's ideas are a "sign of the times" in "Our
Community."
