Shirts Put JXN Pride on Display
In 2014, Fondrenite and passionate Jacksonian Chris Myers told us about his love of the Jackson flag.
An architect by day, Myers’ interest in the Jackson flag came about five or six years earlier after discovering it on Wikipedia. “Like everyone else,” he said, “I had no idea a Jackson flag existed. I’ve always been a bit of a flag nerd, so I was excited to find it.”
A couple of years after, Myers, Arthur Jones and the late Chef Craig Noone started having discussions about the flag and how more people should be made aware of its existence. For St. Paddy’s Day 2013, Jones and Myers had some t-shirts printed. At the time, Myers had plans to launch a website where he could easily sell shirts. And today, his idea has become reality.
Two years later and the flag shirt site is up and running! Tell me about what pushed you to get this done…
We printed a run of 72 tshirts this spring prior to the St. Paddy’s Day Parade and sold out within two days. That demand led me to start looking more deeply into printing options to really get the product out there to the public – that and the fact that I had commissioned the astronaut drawing from Justin Schultz almost two years ago.
What merchandise is available?
Mostly t-shirts (including women’s cuts), but a couple of the designs are also available on mugs, tank tops, hoodies, and phone cases. I’m hoping to expand into jewelry and hats soon. I’m also looking to sell at local shops, if anyone is interested.
As a self-described”flag nerd,” what is it about seeing that flag emblazoned on shirts, hats, or part of other designs that excites you?
Washington, DC, has a really great and simple flag. It’s a white background with two horizontal red stripes and three red stars on top. On visits to DC over the years, I’ve seen t-shirts of all colors with that simple design across the chest. People there know their flag and are proud to wear it. When I first learned about the Jackson flag, I wanted more people to feel the same way. Flags are supposed to represent a common cause, and in state with a flag that’s so controversial, Jackson’s democratically-designed flag represents the hard work that is going on to make this city a better place. It feels good to see people embrace it.
How do we get JXN FLG merch?
Go to jxnflg.com and follow the link to our shirt shop. Stickers are available at Sneaky Beans.