Okay, it’s happening. Everybody stay calm. Everybody stay calm! Fow Wow, Huntsville’s favorite clothing design brand now has an official brick and mortar store. I was able to swing by and get a first hand look at all they have to offer, including designs that I had never seen. Thankfully, Jonathan Fowler (Owner/Creator/Designer) & Nathan Tucker (General Manager) were able to share a bit of history with me as I browsed their collection of shirts.
First I’d like to shout out the quantity of options they have packed into the store, 100’s of shirts with designs that are new as well as ones that have been retired. I think I ended up buying 8 shirts that I just couldn’t leave without. I have been stalking Fow Wow designs for many years. Purchasing shirts at their booths at community events and finding them at a few local shops like Alabama Goods and Harrison Brothers Hardware. One thing I was excited to see was the accessories!. From hats, cups, magnets, patches and more – you need to add some of these to your Fow Wow arsenal.
Fow Wow History
Jonathan was kind enough to share a little background on Fow Wow. It’s a story of creativity, resourcefulness, and a little bit of spunk. In 2013, the Mustachestronaut & Support LocAL designs were created – launching Fow Wow to the community. Mustachestronaut was created because Jonathan couldn’t find any shirts with “Huntsville” on them that were a bit… funky. In fact Mustachestronaut was created for an event called “The Mustache & Beard Bash”. This was the start of selling anything he could out of a backpack. Shortly after Jonathan started popping up at a few artist markets at Lowe Mill but mainly giving away shirts at local venues that he visited.
In 2013, it was hard to find shirts that celebrated Huntsville & even the state, specifically in the iconic punny Fow Wow style. Seeing the gap in the market Jonathan’s goal was to shine a light on true local non-profits that may not have gotten a lot of attention. Even if someone didn’t purchase a shirt they gained knowledge of those local non-profits and could get involved directly through volunteering & other options. Jonathan believes that the community identified this and got behind Fow Wow after understanding that the business wasn’t focused on making profits but helping shine the light on our region & state. Jonathan said “Our true profit was seeing people smile, support, and maybe even serve another local organization.”
One of Jonathan’s favorite memories, which I find absolutely perfect, is when he was at a concert and noticed a guy wearing the “I wanna Rocket with You”. He approached the guy and said “I like your shirt” then the guy started explaining Fow Wow to him… You know… Jonathan the owner. They chatted and Jonathan ended up telling the guy “Yeah, I am going to go check out this local shirt company”. Humble is the best way to describe his response to this customer without trying to take away from his excitement & enthusiasm about Fow Wow.
It has now been 10 years since the first design and the growth has been amazing. I see Fow Wow designs nearly every time I walk out of my house… and not just the ones I wear personally. For years “are you going to open a store front” has been asked and now Fow Wow & Team can proudly say we have a spot for you to come and hang… maybe buy a shirt or two if you want while there. Jonathan said there are “Hundreds more in my “Notes” page on my phone”. So make sure to visit regularly to see what is next in this line of creative designs to promote our community, just by wearing a shirt I guarantee you will spread more smiles and you are shopping local.
Gary Henderson Jr. touched down in Huntsville in 2014 and immediately started digging into all that Rocket City has to offer. To his benefit the Tennessee Valley has all that he could have hoped for and more. From hiking to golf and everything in between, you can be certain he is soaking in all the activities while sharing his adventures along the way. Gary is the proud husband to Katelyn Henderson and father to two awesome kids who share his adventurous spirit & love for the Tennessee Valley.
