You may have seen the “Recap of 2011” blog featured just a couple of days ago…

If you happened to miss it I will fill you in a little bit of BIG news. We now have a whole new line of clothing!

As 2600 Strange Ave has gone through the growing pains of a new clothing line we’ve decided to “grow up” a bit. As we tested, pushed, pulled and prodded on our shirts we decided to slip into a new style of design with a more comfortable, durable, well known t-shirt. All of our new men’s and women’s t-shirts are printed on threads from a well known brand called American Apparel.

We think you’ll be pleased with the results.

And the launch of the new line brings more than just new fabric.
It also brings new clothing items like a lightweight zip up hoodie for both men and women, beanies and (coming soon!) 2600 Strange Ave fitted hats.

And ladies, we took your advice.
2600 Strange Ave is excited to announce we now have more women’s shirts and styles. You’ll be happy to learn that all the designs are printed on unisex shirts allowing women to purchase small sizes to your liking. We also have new shirts created specifically for our Lady Strangers. The design and style of the American Apparel shirts follow the cuts and curves both ladies love to sport.

Stop by the site. Check out the gear. Let us know what you think. Keep it Strange!

2600 Strange Ave

2011 was quite a year for 2600 Strange Ave. First off, we would like to thank all of our friends for the tremendous amount of support we received. Without our friends we would have never made it! Your spirit and excitement for our company pushed us through. Your attendance at charity events and willingness to help out wherever needed allowed for an exciting year!

2011 started off well with the release of our first women’s shirts. This may sound like something we shouldn’t be all that excited about in our review of 2011 but let’s be honest, three guys putting together something girls would like is an accomplishment. Just picking the styles of shirts was no small task.

In 2011 we launched the 2600 Strange Ave, Not Quite Monthly Newsletter. Our newsletter keeps all of the STRANGERS up to speed on what’s happening in the wonderful world of 2600 Strange Ave. Sometimes there is “news”, other times it’s us just being us. Either way it’s entertaining. Feel free to sign up for the newsletter on the website.

When we ponder the highlights for 2011 there is no doubt what rounds out the top of our year. Luke’s Local Artist was event we put on in June. Luke’s Local Artist (in honor of the life of Luke Jensen) was a charity event that raised thousands of dollars for local organizations that do so much for children battling cancer. The event was two part, a morning of fun filled art creations at the Children’s Healing Arts Project where kids painted and designed a collaborative piece that was the center of the night time event for adults.

 

Our main event brought artists and musicians together for an evening of shopping, food and drink, music and fundraising. Event goers learned and were inspired about the amazing works of the Children’s Cancer Association, Children’s Healing Arts Project, and Providence Cancer Research Center. Generous contributions from Columbia Distributing, Santa Fe Restaurant, Papa Murphy’s and Willamette Print and Blueprint allowed for money spent at the show to go directly to our charities.

 

The highlight of the evening came when a young man named Micah got up on stage with musician Keegan Smith. The two performed a song they wrote and produced together. Micah and Keegan rocked the song in front of hundreds of attendees who were delighted by the performance.

 

 

We would like to take an opportunity to thank everyone who volunteered at the event as well as to the many folks who helped behind the scenes to produce an evening dedicated to Luke and those organizations who did so much for him and his family.

 

No review of a year would be quite complete without a few laughable highlights. 2600 Strange Ave was excited to learn about our gear being placed on the racks of a local store. Thanks to many Strangers who went looking to shop for our items we learned they could be found in a box near the front counter. Come on, that’s funny.  We also learned of the Olympic potential of Ryan in the plastic chicken toss when being “inspired” or yelled at by Alex during a charity event. (The chicken was thrown so far it landed outside the course). Needless to say team 2600 won that event, at least in our minds we did. Actually we were disqualified for a time violation during the toss. The Jury is still out on that one.

 

The “Stranger of the Year” award went to Chris Leahy for his amazing posts of ED and EDNA on the 2600 Strange Ave Facebook page. Let’s be honest, Chris was going to win this award no matter what after he performed a dance caught on video in the middle of the streets of Belgium while donning a 2600 T-shirt. Nicely done Chris, the Dude is proud.

Every year the City of Roses kicks of fall in what has become an enormous Portland tradition called Greekfest. The outdoor event nestles itself throughout the grounds of the Greek Church just outside the Laurelhurst neighborhood. Thousands attend the weekend event and enjoy the authentic music, food and libations of our Greek friends.

I always love entering an event and being greeted by an enormous banner stretching the length of one tent reading, “Alcohol is not permitted outside the church grounds.” The event is a huge fundraiser for the Greek Church and their causes and is always a neighborhood reunion for all who live in or were raised in the mid-east side of town.

Naturally I had to attend the event with a Greek, Andy, who was one of the boys from our old eastside neighborhood. As Andy and I strutted around Greekfest I was feeling pretty good sporting my new (yet to be released and freshly printed) 2600 Strange Ave T-Shirt and hoody. Within five minutes of being at the event we ran into our longtime barber, Lenny. Lenny has owned a barber shop in upper Hawthorne for over thirty five years and is a staple to the neighborhood. Seconds later we realized Dennis the Mailman and Rick, aka “Liquor Rick” who owns the Liquor Store near Lenny’s were also in attendance.

(In the picture above you will see Andy, Lenny, Me (with new gear) and Liquor Rick jumping in to the background of the photo.)

As the night continued on we ran into countless friends and neighbors. Old stories were told and new stories were made in what was surely a, more to life than a $90 T-shirt experience.   Needless to say I wouldn’t have let Lenny come near my head with scissors.  It was unforgettable night and a perfect event to wear some original gear, including my new hoody.

I couldn’t possibly have a post about anything Greek without including a picture of 2600 Strange Ave co-owner, Alex, who can commonly be seen sporting a Greek flag around his neck in support of his mother country. Here’s to you Al, and your new hoody… (note) this is what happens when you go to a party and don’t speak with a fellow clothing company co-owner about possible attire. What can we say, we’re excited about the new gear.

Get ready Strangers, all of our new shirts and hoodies will be available coming this November!

Ryan

Clearance photo

2600 Strange Ave presents our first clearance sale! Almost all of your favorite 2600 Strange Ave clothing is now 50% off while supplies last!

Click here to check out all the gear at The Goods!

Get ready Strangers, the new line of 2600 gear is currently being produced (by hand in Portland, OR). 2600 Strange Ave’s new gear will feature all new shirts for both men and women and zip up hoodies. Stay tuned to upcoming blogs for sneak previews of some of our new shirts!

-Ryan

The “Occupy Wall Street” movement has definitely made some headlines lately. Their demands don’t seem to be completely defined yet, but that’s not stopping a few hundred people from spending their days holding signs and demonstrating in front of the big brass bull outside the home of America’s most powerful financial institutions.

I hadn’t been following it too closely until today, when I flipped through a few web pages to see what they were up to over there in NY. What I saw surprised me. Check out these two pictures and see if you notice anything surprising. I know I did.

Did you see it? Yeah, crazy right?

People are rocking their 2600 Strange Ave gear at the protests! Now, I’m not sure that we here at 2600 can get 100% behind their message (do they know what it is yet?), but are we surprised that they chose to protest in our shirts? No way! After all, there’s more to life than $90 t-shirts!

P.S. Okay, okay, so I obviously photoshopped the shirts on those people.

Stay Strange,
Brian