How it all began.
In the early Eighties, when I was a young NJ hippie kid, my best friend and I figured out that the best way to pay for touring with the Grateful Dead was by selling things (preferably semi-legal things). We used a garage and began to design and print shirts for the shows and sell them in the parking lots all up and down the East Coast. The dawn of the $10 original parking lot t shirt had arrived! It was a great little venture as the Dead were yet to realize or really care about mass marketing (what were they smoking?). This helped to pay for many hotels, gas and even a few plane tickets. Not bad for high school kids!

Several art degrees, graphic art jobs, and regular jobs later.
I started a commercial screen printing business. I had gained a lot more experience and knowledge, printing everything from corporate items to shirts for local softball teams. By this time it seemed everyone with a basement or garage was cranking out shirts and driving the profitability and customer loyalty down the tubes. I began to realize that I had amassed quite a large number of original designs over the years that no one else had and that had previously proven to be in demand. I guess everything eventually becomes retro. So what I figured was why not share my interest in music and art and incorporate it into my business? After all, basically anybody can print a decent t shirt. I wanted to offer t shirts that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Shirts that weren't mass printed on an automatic press and sold for $50 at concerts. I wanted to offer one-of-a-kind, quality shirts with a hand crafted feel and understated originality.

Rockview Thought
I always admired Guitar Heroes and Musicians who never got their due, so I create shirts for all you crazy Vintage Guitar collectors, and even some shirts just for the fun of it. Basically the t shirts that you rescue when the old lady tells you she cleaned out your closet and “that shirt is old, ripped and disgusting!”

Input Welcome
If you have an idea for a shirt you don’t see, let me know. We are always looking for more input.

Thanks for reading and for visiting Rockview Tees!