Ed's Musing's (click individual blog to comment)

New designs trickle in about this time of year... let the trickling begin...

Been asked for a design for nurses for awhile, and finally an elementary idea came to me...  =:l

Roth Shirt Co. is a branded line of t-shirts, all drawn by Ed Roth. Our motto is "Lifting people up, one silly t-shirt at a time".

Our basic action model is,

1) superior quality in our t-shirt, which means a softer more durable fabric, pigment dying for warm color tone and non-shrinking, and a thicker more traditional quality fit and feel.

2) superior quality in our customer service, including help in making sure you have the right fit and color, an uplifting store environment, and positive assistance with any issues or help after the sale.

3) caring more about the process, the human connection, and the experience than we do about the profit. We feel if we take care of the right approach to our business, profit as needed will take care of itself.

"If it's not a Roth, it's just cloth"

 I do not own a television. Haven't for many years. I do not watch television. So now, if I ever am near one and catch a glimpse of what is on I can't believe people watch them. Especially, and mainly, the news.

Even when I glance at a news website online, to see if I am missing anything I need to know, what really stands out to me is how the stories are often totally impersonalized. When we talk about issues in friends lives, or our own lives, we share with people who care. Or WE care. Everyone has issues in life, life is very imperfect and messy. But what stands out to me is how we tell stories on the news only for the titillation, without any chance of understanding, forgiveness, or hint that the story may be false. The person becomes someone to dump on and injure simply because people want to click on juicy stories. And clicks, and eyes are profitable, no matter how impersonal and hurtful the story may be. They are not a real human, they are a mythical creature to have fun with, at their expense.

Not for me. I like not having a TV.

Give it a try.....?

Absolutely enjoyed this recent FB post from Eric Nittolo, owner(?) of Nittolo's Restaurant in Lake Leelanau. He is touring parts of Europe, hope you will read and take this in.

 

Online reviews... our business can be explained in a nutshell by reading through our Google Reviews. 

Some Ecommerce sites use an app they can pay for that shows they have "3,563 positive reviews". I looked up one of these apps, and there are instructions on how to delete negative reviews. Another site had tons of "5 star" reviews, but many of them were ads for investing, so they were obviously bought. If I want to take part in Yelp I have to pay Yelp, so obviously since I don't pay I won't show up there, or not very well.

I really don't like being negative, but my main point is our unadulterated Google reviews (OK, other than this one.. 

are a good representation of the hard work and fun we put into...

Making Customers Happy

 

Just read a great article in the local weekly newspaper, the Northern Express, about Mundos Coffee. Mundos first opened in TC in 2017, and has grown into 4 locations, 3 in TC and 1 in Suttons Bay. What stood out the most was their commitment to excellence in coffee, a commitment to slowing things down to make a better quality cup of coffee, a commitment to helping people slow down and enjoy the simple things, and their desire to raise the bar in the coffee world and in everything they do. 

This got me to realizing some similarities I have with my business; I love t-shirts (wear one every single day), I want to help people slow down and connect more, and I want to raise the bar in every approach of my business, from the quality of our shirts and caps, to the way we handle customer service.

So, try visiting a Mundos location if you can for a great coffee experience. The article is here. Find Mundos locations here

Nerissa had been a Godsend for us this winter. She is taking a gap year in her masters program at U of M, and has been a steady rock manning the store throughout this winter. We are grateful for her consistency and smile, and we hope you can say hi to her throughout this spring and summer.

If you would like to interact or comment on a blog post, I have now set them to active. Click on a blog post to read it, and then there is an option for a comment (to be reviewed by yours truly for good taste).

Been a bit since I posted... I was away on the obligatory winter getaway trip, to Palm Springs California and Sedona Arizona.

Visited Joshua Tree National Park, Indian Canyon (both near Palm Springs), and the stunningly beautiful Sedona Arizona area. It's like a town in the middle of a national park...

The surprise was Indian Canyon, at Palm Springs. Imagine a desert setting, desert mountains with cactus.. and then coming down a mountain valley a beautiful creek, and all along the creek are incredibly beautiful tall old California Palm Trees, creating an amazing setting. Even snow-capped peaks in the background. We commented that it felt like a created movie scene. So, if you find yourselves in the Palm Springs area, be sure to visit Indian Canyon.

Now, back to work on store improvements and new designs!

I am continuing to update the store interior, as well as updating product selections and colors as well. I am having quite a bit of fun, or enjoyment in the updates, and my creative side is getting to come out again. I think you will all be greatly amused, and pleased at updates you will find in the store this coming year, which include humorous features, better shopping layout, and more product offerings and selections. It is very much a nice release for me to work with tools and wood as a diversion to too much "retail sales focus". If I had a number of different lives and could choose different vocations a few times, working with wood would certainly be one of them!

Sunday, I will be taking a break and heading to Arizona to hike, absorb sunshine, and take a refreshing break. 

 I've got a story to tell you about the T-shirt. See, it all started out as just a simple piece of underwear for soldiers and sailors. But then Marlon Brando came along and showed us how cool the T-shirt could look in "A Streetcar Named Desire." And just like that, the T-shirt became a symbol of rebellion and cultural expression.

Fast forward a few years, and the T-shirt was making political and social statements, and then in the 70s, graphic T-shirts were all the rage. And let's not forget the 80s, when high-end designer T-shirts became a thing, and brands like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger were putting their own spin on the classic T-shirt.

Nowadays, the T-shirt is a blank canvas for artists and designers to express themselves, and they come in all sorts of styles and designs. It's pretty wild to think about how far the T-shirt has come, and it's a testament to the power of fashion to evolve and change.

So, the next time you slip into your favorite T-shirt, take a moment to appreciate its journey from simple undergarment to fashion staple. And who knows, maybe one day you'll even design your own T-shirt and become a part of its story.

Source; ChatGPT

We are hard at work in the off-season; Currently in the store, we are improving the decor, layout, a new wall across the back, new displays, and displays that make it easier to shop and to see more of the selections. 

We are choosing a new and better hoodie, crew neck sweatshirt, and zip up hoodie. We like the quality, softness, and the attractive new colors!   We are choosing new youth shirts in 2 new heathered colors, and we are adding a ladies crew neck shirt choice as well.

We are increasing the focus on the lake shirts, making it easier to see the different product options the lake designs can be printed on, and examining new cap color options to keep the cap choices fresh and.... new.

Over the next few months we will be updating the website shopping experience, including showing every design on every color choice and product choice for a better, smoother online shopping experience. Lastly, we plan to add a neat, fun feature in the store which will allow our best, regular customers to receive a discount on their purchases.

And now... back to work!!