Looking back to how this all got started, it took me literally 4 years to complete the project from it’s inception back in a small hotel room in Hot Springs, Arkansas during our Katrina evacuation.
I’ve lived here all my life and like many others, I was filled with so much emotion, positive and negative during that time. Folks were being interviewed all over the world explaining why we our city needed to be saved and what they loved about it. From those words of endearment, good or bad, came an epiphany. I sat down and worked out what would become the initial logo and the rest is history.
Last June I was blown away by just how much passion for the city one shop could hold. Even back then as they were launching their first NOLA shop on magazine street, Storyville’s offerings truly encapsulated the simple pleasures and joys of the city.
With that said, in 1 year, Storyville ( Multiple locations including Lakeside Mall+ 3029 Magazine Street) made national news with “Brad Pitt for Mayor”, launched careers, expanded their own universe by opening new shops in Austin as well as their soon to open Mall of Louisiana locale in Baton Rouge, and finally their own print shop blocks away on Magazine St.
Last week I brought a friend of mine visiting from Dallas by to introduce him to Storyville, and I was blown away by some of the new stuff. Designs like “Look Both Ways”, “Houma Sapien”, “King Cake”, FGxJP (Fleurty Girl and Jonanthan Pretus collaboration), and my latest favorite, “New Orleans is for Lovers”, will prove to be classics. Last but not least, Storyville also offers NOLATILES by Chris Psilos which are very cool handmade coasters, plaques, and trivets inspired by street tiles that line most of the streets of New Orleans.
I wanted to focus on the past for this the 1st Anniversary feature. I’m gratefully for the support Storyville + the Harvey folks have offered me, by allowing some dude with a new blog to photograph their stuff and take up their time.