It's National #WriteYourStoryDay, so naturally, we'd like to share our story with you. It starts with a quote from Mark: "Be crazy enough to know you can do anything you want in life." ✍
In 1984, we decided to chase our dreams. We were two teenagers who wanted to make our own path. We started printing t-shirts in Mark’s parents’ basement to sell in our hometown of Detroit Lakes, MN on our famous mile-long beach. We had a couple of dogs, a homemade plywood printer, two second hand kitchen ovens and cookie sheets for curing the ink.
The product line included a handful of screenprint designs that we sold at our small beach store and custom artwork for local resorts, restaurants and businesses. We didn’t have many rules back then, other than no beer until after 8pm, no Frank Zappa while customers were around and lastly, no leaving until the orders were out the door.
We have a few more rules now, but we’re still focused on “wowing” our customers. Today, Lakeshirts has grown to almost 900 team members, several dogs, and more than 10,000 satisfied customers.
What started in that basement next to the lake has grown to a 325,000 square foot production and warehouse facility, with locations and team members from sea to shining sea.
From the beginning, we wanted to build a cool place to go to work. A place where you could feel comfortable working in t-shirts & shorts (no matter the season). A place where good music is everywhere. A place that welcomed dogs, because things are just so much better when they’re hanging (lying) around. We’ve always done business as family/friends, and corporate stuff makes us break in a rash. Yeah, we’re still "professional," and are focused on doing all we can to WOW our customers.
And now we're celebrating our 40th year in business! We're still friends & business partners, and still sharing with our customers, team members, reps, vendors, owners & the community we call home why 'Life's Better in a T-shirt.'
Have you written your story yet?! We ALL have a story to tell! 🤗
#lakeshirts #lifesbetterinatshirt #lifeatlakeshirts #chaseyourdreams #shareyourstory
