Moonshine
What’s the backstory on Moonshine?
Well, the idea of Moonshine started quite awhile ago. I’ve had various friends who have done some sort of apparel or lifestyle brand and they always fizzled out as quickly as they started. I found myself on the sidelines helping, and watching things they did that I would’ve changed, and realized that I wanted to start my own brand. After that it still took awhile because life happened pretty fucking quick. I had to finish my undergrad, get a job, and now I’m doing my masters, so there’s hardly any free time, or cash. Luckily, Obama started loaning me money in July and I finally had enough to comfortably front a couple product orders on my own without hurting (just don’t tell Uncle Sam his money is funding my startup). I brainstormed names and decided on Moonshine as the company name, got a logo done by this great tattoo artist up in Seattle, and I put in an order. The reason we decided on Moonshine is because the old moonshining days were badass! It connotes a very rustic lifestyle, not just in the outdoorsy sense but urban as well. Shit was pretty grisly back then. Since then it’s been a fun ride. We have tons of friends and industry folks helping us, we really appreciate them!
What’s different about your brand?
I think that what sets us apart is that we actively promote drinking as a viable hobby…I mean, shit, maybe that’s bad to say, ha. I guess what I mean is that we see drinking/partying/boozing as part of our aesthetic, not just something we do on the side. To be more specific that means promoting the dirtier, realer, side of the good times people have. When you go camping in the real world it’s not always peacoats, gorgeous views, and arms-to-the-side poses. Sometimes it’s just you and your buddies drinking Hamms around a fire. That being said, we still support all of it as long as you’re out enjoying yourself. Snowboarding is great because even though the industry is smaller the people are tight knit, super friendly, and they have fun after hours. If all the snow brands were parts in a movie we’d be the party scenes that roll after the credits.
No really, why should people support you and not some other independent brand?
Simply put, because we’re friendly and we care. There are so many companies chasing the big bucks out there, cutting costs to sell as many of the same t-shirt as they can. We’re not trying to take your money, we’re trying to earn it. That means trying to weave in some innovative, custom product along with the stuff you’d usually see. If you like what we’re doing, that’s awesome, we really appreciate the support. If you don’t like what we’re doing, that’s cool too, we hope you’d tell us why. At this point we’re not taking ourselves too seriously, we’re just trying to have fun, see where it takes us, and be a bigger part of the sport we’ve loved for years.
Who are you and why do you think you’re qualified to run a business?
Jesus, I’m really not qualified to run a business at all. Since college all I’ve been involved with is teaching children. I guess managing a bunch of 3rd graders that whine and tell secrets about each other is kind of like running a business. All joking aside though there isn’t much to it so far. It can be a lot of hours doing seemingly trivial things, but when something comes together it’s a very rewarding feeling. You don’t need to be qualified, you need to be passionate!
What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?
Well one option is that I’d quit snowboarding and sell the remaining stock of Moonshine to Zumiez shareholders. From there it would turn into a Zumiez house brand that does collaborations with hackey sack companies and sponsors snowskate-affiliated Sublime cover band concerts. The other option is that, if this did turn into something I could make my full time job, I’d enjoy it and try to stay true to how we started. Giving back to community companies, events, riders, is something we’d love to do once we can fund it, especially if this ever takes off. Until then we’ll be busy working our asses off enjoying good drinks, and good friends. Cheers!
” I wore it to a rail jam and kids literally shit themselves when they saw it. ” – murder mittens
either it really was the best logo of all time, or you have never actually stopped to consider what the word “literally” actually means
I, too, like to spend my Mondays being a grammar nazi on Yobeat.
hey, i understand that mis-using the hell out of the word “literally” is such an epidemic in our culture that it’s usually not worth getting worked up about, but c’mon, the kids “literally shit themselves”? are you fucking kidding me? so a bunch of little kids had to go home early and have their mommies buy them new pants because this kid drew a logo that was so dope that the children ACTUALLY spewed diarrhea all over themselves the moment they saw it?
they like actually literally shit their literal pants
RULE#2: WORDS ON THE INTERNET HAVE ONE MEANING.
Templeton is a disease.
MARDER MITTEN IS THE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN AND AL-PAL IS AN IGNORANT FRAT BOY
You kno what it theeeZ
is the second sentence supposed to be a pun on actual snowboards the company
Murder Mitten is the dumbest name for something i have ever heard. In a state which contains cities like Flint and Detroit which have ridiculously high murder rates, why are you printing that shit on tshirts and hoodies for a bunch of white college kids to wear. A terrible way to represent Michigan in my opinion.
I bought some stickers and a hoody of that fucking murder mitten website 2 months ago and that sent me a sticker with the letter I missing from it. And it took him 2 fucking months and 7 emails that he sent in all caps talking about being to hungover to get it. Fuck that kid what a loser
This Al-Pal character running Murder Mitten is a terrible person to run a business. I ordered 3 stickers which took 3 months to get here. He mixed up the stickers, AND GAVE ME 2. He didn’t respond to 8 of my 10 emails and then proceeded to mess up the next order. Fuck Yourself.
Murder mitten, the clothing for white private schools boys with daddy’s credit card. Never been to Detroit or Flint.
I don’t understand all the hate here! I once met Al Pal at #Vail and he’s super rad and really professional. I ordered some of those sick die cuts from the website and they fit perfectly around my #Switch bindings.
Flossophy really liked Ashbury’s (and 100 other) logo that much huh? And Hip has to be the worst brand name in a long time.
They’re logo is the philosopher stone. Actually ties in really well. Not just some random triangle thing.
So Ashbury really likes illuminati huh?
geeez what the hating harddddd
Q: What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?
A: Buy Yobeat off of you and burn it to the ground.
GTFO… Lamez.
really who gives a shit about these dumb clothing companies, they are all the same
The only thing cool about flossophu is that Emily Laplume is part of their marketing scheme. Stay in Tahoe kooks
Lol
Beeasyboards.com
the hip fella seemed pretty level-headed to me, and seems to have a good business plan. not a huge fan of the name, despite its double meaning, though
Why is everything 100% cotton…
I heard that alpal pays his team riders with a brazzers password.
haaaa al pal must have cryed to yobeat about all the hate and made them delete the page
No ones going to mention the stolen logo? Okay.
I’ll sue deez ngghz bitin’
check us out. we don’t put studs on pants pockets. thanks
come on man why’d you have to be a dick. sorry everyone
You don’t even make pants ya damn fool. The tee with that guy thinking is tight tho, it would be cool if he was thinkin about tittiess or weed or some dankass food tho. That’s just my design sensibility coming through tho.
Wait murder mitten doesn’t actually make gloves? Wait their brand is based around you arranging an outline of the lower half of your state to replace a letter in a phrase that means nothing in illustrator one day? And you want people to give you their hard-earned money in support of this?
http://color-blynd.com
Damn yall wild fo all dis. yall all wild. nigga sittin here tryna find his comb n shit and den i see all these niggas hatin an shit yall willin out do fo real
That Flossophy logo looks preeeetty similar to Ashbury’s.
Murder Mitten stole Real Creepin’s logo.
real creepin stole footyfiends logo jus sayn
Didn’t you post an article a couple months back about buying our gear from local shops, and not online. Good luck supporting any of these companies without shopping online, unless you live in the city where they’re based.
Yeah, except these companies are hardly in direct competition with a local shop.
Why isn’t the real oven mitten co. on this? follow us on insta yo @therealovenmittenco, yo
What the heal . snowboard motherfuckers theres only three more weeks fucktards…. bitch in august when your moms in heat
i cant…. i dont even…
man, it’s 2014, everyone just steals everyone else’s logos anyways. literally every company has a logo that looks like another logo.
#neversnakeasnaker
i heard alpal gave himself the nickname alpal…………
yo where’s that photo cred yobeat
^ Fag
All dat shit is gay. cept’ moonshine. its whatevers
U should take a look to Emeneka, is a Chilean brand that make sick outerwear for snowboarders, clothing and accessories (hats, beanies, sunglasses), is a one guy company, he support skateboarders and snowboarders. He just sell trough his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mnklsc?fref=ts
Regards from deep southamerica. Respect.