Our Story
Joe & Sophie
We are Joe & Sophie. Both transplants to this little university
town. We both listened and followed what our parents said. Go to
college, get a good job; we both soon realized that wasn’t for us. We
wanted to do more than clock-in and work to make someone else’s ideas
happen.
Joe jumped in a van with some damn band from Stillwater 2 years ago, couch surfed for a year while being a full time musician, fell hopelessly in love Sophie and watched the opportunity of owning his own shop blossom before him. So he jumped on the opportunity.
Sophie came to this town for college, was offered the chance to buy the company she had worked for during college, and with the help of some kind people, made it happen. When Joe jumped on the screen printing and clothing store, she supported him 100%.
Now a proverbial rug is getting yanked from under our feet. We have just 30 days to move.
Lincoln Green (the shop)
Before this store was Lincoln Green, it was 17B and before that it was B Line Galaxy. The ideas have evolved with the owners but the dream has stayed consistent. Local made, artistic t-shirts and leather goods and deadstock items. And always, supporting the music. This shop has been Lincoln Green for 6 months and has begun to pick up momentum, but we’re hitting a major challenge. We’ve been given just 30 days to move shop. It’s nearly heart breaking to leave this space, but it also opens up major opportunities.
Check out the pictures below of shirts that have come out of this shop. And yes, the double barrel shirt that Keith is wearing came from right here.
What We Need
New Shop & Signage - $4,500
Luckily, we get our signage at cost, however, we have to move out of the building that has so much history. It pains us to do so but we have no say in the matter. We have some prospects that will allow us to be bigger and better than ever. All we need is your support.
Better Blanks - $1,000 We need to stock our shelves and we’ve been listening; you (the customer) want softer, lighter, thinner, and more vintage looking shirts, but they cost us twice as much (or even 3 times). We know we need them. We also need hoodies, sweat shirts, denim, buckle blanks, onesies, and children’s shirts. We have these things, but we need to buy in bulk instead of just 6 at a time.
Supplies - $500We have lots of supplies, but they're limited. We want to bring you turquoise, bright red, hot pink, etc. Different colored threads, fabrics, rhinestones, and lots more. We also have no back stock of the chemicals we need to produce shirts with.
An Employee (open more hours) - $1,500We can’t be in our store all the hours people want to come shop. We need an employee. This would pay for a part-time employee for about 8 weeks (at $8.50 an hour). We promise to employ someone who really needs the job, not an intern who just wants beer money.
Local Artist Wares & Music - $1,000We have a great connection with local artists who produce some really neat items that we can’t make as well as local musicians who have music we’d like to have available. We want to be able to support them as well by having their goods in our store. Specifically Little Momma’s Little Monkey’s Sock Monkeys, Shane Snavely’s custom metal goods (comb sets and children’s things, etc.), UpSykled custom sewing and embroidery, CD’s from musicians that can’t be bought at any other store, and much more.
A Van - $5,500
As most of you know, we operate 2 businesses with 1 single cab pick up. We also like to bring our wares to you via festivals, fairs, rodeos, and markets. We’ve perfected the loading of 2 people, 3 dogs, and merchandise in the pickup however, if it rains, we’re out. And if we need to go in different directions for the weekend, well, we don't. This would pay for an older but well running VW van and tags, title, insurance for the year.
What You Get
$5 - A Virtual Hug
$30 - Lincoln Green Screen Printed Vintage Record
$50 - “Save Lincoln Green” shirt - (vintage dark heather with white print)
$250 - 1 year membership to Shirt-Of-The-Month club (Silver - 100% cotton or 50/50 blend shirt) First shirt being the “Save Lincoln Green” shirt.
$350 - 1 year membership to Shirt-Of-The-Month club (Gold - Premium shirt (tri-blend)) First shirt being the “Save Lincoln Green” shirt.
$500 - 1 year membership to Shirt-Of-The-Month club (Platinum - choice of shirt/hoodie every month) First shirt being the “Save Lincoln Green” shirt.
$750 - A year of music. Every CD we get in the store, you get a signed copy of. For 1 year.
$1,000 - Artist support. You tell us an artist you want to support. We’ll set up a wholesale account with them and put their wares up for sale in our store.
$4,000 - A section of the store will be dedicated in your name (or of someone you chose) a percentage of the proceeds from items sold in that section will go to the charity of your choice.
$4,500 - You get to name the van & have your company advertised on it. (other arrangements will be made if you so wish)
$10,000 - Joe will get your face tattoo’d on his arm!
The Impact
Lincoln Green’s mission is to provide unique clothing, accessories, and various curiosities to the Stillwater community and online as well as affordable merchandise solutions to bands and local businesses. We work together with other artists to co-create and sustain as an artist community. We’re here for the hippies, the gypsies, the lovers, the dreamers, the rockers, and the rollers and everyone in between.
Stillwater needs this little, local, art shop. To get anything like
what we have you have to go to OKC or Tulsa. Help us keep it all right
here.
Risks & Challenges
We have risks and challengjes, just like in every aspect of life. Your contribution helps us get over some of those challenges. We run the risk of failing, which we have known from the beginning, but we will fight and work hard to stay above water.
In the event that we do not get funded, those who contributed will still get their promised gifts and we'll have to reevaluate how the funds will be distributed.
In the event that something happens and we have to close before the year, we will make sure everyone still gets their 12 shirts (for those who have Shirt-Of-The-Month memberships).
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean they can't help:
- Please share this to your Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, etc. We will be doing random drawings for those who share this to receive free gifts with every $500 donated.