We chose to call ourselves Merch Misfits for a reason, because that’s exactly what we are. Misfits. With that said, we wouldn’t change a single thing. We were the outcasts that didn’t really fit in. We all gravitated towards some form of art, be it painting, acting, writing, photography, and everything in-between. The one commonality we all have is a passion for music. Not many of us attended the same schools together. We didn’t know each other at all actually until our mid to late teen years and into our early 20’s but any time there was a punk rock show happening in the great city of Salt Lake City, Utah, we knew all of our friends would be there. This led to a wonderful and diverse, large, group of friends. Many of which we all consider family. We’ve experienced it all together, both good and bad, happy and sad.
The majority of us have been in bands, touring both the country and some, the world. This may seem like a dream come true, but it was quite the opposite. It was hard to make a career as a musician. Some of our friends made it, but it was a select few. The majority of us got into screen printing at a young age because that was the best way to scrape enough money together to fill up the van to get to our next destination. This is where merchandise comes into play. We would be lucky to sell a few records here and there, but the one thing that did sell was merchandise.
It’s pretty simple really. People aren’t just buying your merchandise, they’re buying the experience. They get the opportunity to wear that shirt or hat around like a trophy. It tells a story and they are the ones that get to tell that story, because it’s their story and sometimes that can equate to bragging rights. Who doesn’t like to gloat every so often?
As most of our dreams and aspirations expired as a result of having to give up the guitar for a day job we looked for every opportunity to go out and support our fellow musicians throughout their journey. That meant late nights on a work or school night, waking up with stiff joints, and hobbling through a sea of cubicles to our desk jobs. We traded studded vests and back patches for suits and tie clips. Is this really what we had envisioned our future to look like when we were 20 people deep in a 15 passenger van? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Thus, Merch Misfits was born!
We found a way that we can bring in steady income while also supporting struggling musicians doing the same thing we did all those years ago. We’re all envious, but at least we can be part of their journey and live vicariously through them.
We have since branched out beyond music and as a result offer the same service and quality to anyone and everyone. We especially love helping people build out a line of merchandise for a brand, band or passion project. Following through and executing your vision is truly what dreams are made of. We’re just happy to be a part of it.