The store has always felt like home to me.

Back in the early days, that meant our little shop in an old ice house on the water's edge of Fort Pond Bay. The press sat right out in the open, and I'd spend my days printing teeshirts while people wandered in to see what I was working on. Friends would stop by with a couple beers before heading out for the night or sometimes after they'd already been out. They'd see the light on and know that meant I was still grinding away on the press and the door was open to come hang. 

I didn't think much of it at the time... It was just what we did. But looking back, I realize Whalebone has always been more than just a place to buy clothes... It's been a gathering place. A lot has changed over the years. We've moved spaces, opened new stores, and the way we make our products has evolved, but one thing I've never wanted to lose is time in the shop.

I love being a fly on the wall. I love talking with people, seeing what they gravitate toward, watching them feel the fabric, try things on, and get excited about a graphic we've been staring at for months. There's something really rewarding about watching all the work that happens behind the scenes finally come to life.

Those conversations matter. They keep me connected to the people we're making clothes for, they inspire new ideas, and they remind me that the best parts of this job happen in real life.

Seventeen years later, the store still feels like home. It's where Whalebone comes to life, and I hope it always feels like a place people want to spend a little time, whether it's to make a purchase or just to say hello.