HomeSnoloha

I’d like to welcome “The Surf Shop” in Grand Haven (Michigan), to the growing list of Snoloha retailers. Located on North Harbor Drive on The Grand River just before it empties into Lake Michigan, The Surf Shop offers a great selection of surf & beach wear, along with a very fitting shopping atmosphere, complete with tiki huts and bamboo. Be sure to stop in if your fortunate enough to visit Grand Haven this summer – one of Michigan’s coolest beach towns.

Thank you to Davenport University for featuring myself and Snoloha in April’s Alumni Newsletter, “The Banner”.

In the next few days, there will be a handful of new products available on Snoloha.com. Included are 4 new women’s short sleeve shirts, 2 men’s short sleeves and a long sleeve. Also, the new Snoloha visors are going to the embroiderer this week and will be available as soon as we get them back, of course.

If you haven’t signed up for our newsletter yet, just send an email to newsletter@snoloha.com. I will be sending out the next newsletter soon with product updates and other specials.

And once again, thanks to everyone for your continued support.

I was looking through some of the first blog posts and wanted to re-post this entry (updated just a bit from the October 23rd post).

Snoloha – just another company trying to peddle t-shirts right? Well, not really. Consumers don’t need another t-shirt. They don’t need a new SUV. They don’t need the new iPhone. Consumers look for products that they can identify with, but that also portray that identity to anyone they encounter throughout the day. This is who I am. This is my lifestyle.

In today’s homogenized marketplace, new products are often times hard to spot. Even established product lines and brands are difficult to tell apart.

Snoloha is determined to become that niche product that people start asking about. Generating buzz through word-of-mouth is an important aspect to the marketing efforts. Easier said than done, we know. However, as more people begin to understand and are introduced to the brand and what it stands for, they will realize it is a lifestyle they can identify with – and identity leads to customers.

I have this old Michigan t-shirt that I now have to reserve only for game day Saturdays. It has become very fragile throughout the years, and I refuse to replace it just yet. I’m hoping that it makes it through the 2007 – 2008 season. This T reflects my passion for my favorite time of year in sports and my devotion to the Wolverines of The University of Michigan.

That is what we are trying to create with Snoloha. That favorite piece of clothing you wear every time you head to the beach, out on the boat, to the ski lodge, just chillin’ in the backyard…you get the idea. And hopefully it’s a lifestyle you can identify with.

I recieved a great package this weekend from Jim Hoehn (www.jimhoehn.com & www.myspace.com/jimhoehn), who is the writer of “Callin’ In Gone” by The Boat Drunks (see previous blog entry from March 14th). Jim is a Milwaukee-based journalist, author and songwriter, and he sent a couple of his CD’s and a nice note from his home in scenic Wisconsin.

He has performed at numerous festivals and events around the country and has opened for a wide variety of national artists, including the likes of Warren Zevon, Jerry Jeff Walker, Junior Brown, Robert Earl Keen, Don McLean, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Kinky Friedman.

Thought I’d share some of my early favorite lyrics. This is from his “Playa del Pressbox” CD.

“He’s Away From His Desk”

“I’m checkin’ my checkbook, ‘cause it’s never balanced, but then again neither am I
A lifelong resistance to corporate existence, there’s always someway to get by
The money I spent, well sometimes was the rent, which explains some places I’ve stayed
But the lines that I’ve toed and the rows that I’ve hoed, were the choices that I alone made

Ah, the price of success, is too steep I guess
Hold all my calls, just tell ‘em all, he’s away from his desk
From the corporate phonies who lack the cojones
To step away from their desk

Some people say that they don’t like to work, when it’s really their job they can’t stand
When you like what you do and you do what you like, it’s a feeling you can’t understand
Whether playing beach bars or filling up cars, it depends on your point of view
‘Cause the full-service man with the pump in his hand is working an island job, too”

Thanks again Jim!

I wanted to officially welcome Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus of Grand Rapids to the Snoloha family and the growing list of Snoloha retailers.

They will have their initial selection as early as next week, just in time for that Spring Break vacation.

For those of you that are familiar with Bill & Paul’s, you already know what a beautiful store they have, along with a great product selection and helpful staff.  For those that have not been to the shop before, check ‘em out, it’s a great place to shop.

Again, if you know of a retailer in your area that you think should carry Snoloha gear, let us know!  Let them know!

Today was “Road Trip” day. I spent the day with a friend who manages a yacht charter and sailing school business. He had to go look at a few potential boats to add to the fleet and asked if I wanted to come along. Well, since I did need to visit a retailer that just so happend to be “on the way”, and I really could use a break from my office, I was on-board. It seemd fitting, afterall, to spend the first full day of Spring looking at boats and “getting in the mood”.

We first stopped in Charelvoix, which is the small strip of land that separates Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix. There we looked at a 50′ sailboat. With a little elbow grease, she’s going to look gorgeous. After standing on the deck, going below to check out the cabin, and standing behind the helm, we were both ready to throw off the bow lines and catch the trade winds in our sails.

Next it was on to the resort town of Harbor Springs. The drive to Harbor is quite amazing as you wind your way around Little Traverse Bay through the town of Petoskey. Harbor is where I needed to go anyway, so now this trip was more than just looking at boats, it was business. Actually, the majority of this road trip consisted of very interesting business discussions about Snoloha and the boating business. After looking at a very unique, and very cool Norwegian made 27′ tug, and then visiting my retailer, of course it was time for lunch and what better place to visit than Bar Harbor?

Now on to the tourist trap that is known as Mackinaw City to check out a Catamaran. By this time we were both mentally in “summer mode” even though it was drizzling and 30 degrees out (I’d call that a Snoloha moment, for sure).

And finally, back to Traverse City by 6:00 to check emails and do some computer work and get ready for another road trip to Grand Rapids tomorrow to meet with more retailers…all in a day’s work I guess.

Just wanted to share this quote again. For those of you that have been with Snoloha.com and this blog since the beginning (which wasn’t too long ago), you may remember it from an earlier post and it’s significance.

Thanks to Rob “Bobert” Turmell for submitting this photo from a recent Utah ski trip. Rob recieved the Palms Mtn L/S T-shirt. It looks like he’s enjoying an ice-cold refreshing…root beer while sporting his Snoloha hoodie and sticker. Rob, if that’s not a root beer, well, at least your wearing a helmet. For a chance to win Snoloha gear next month, just visit the Snapshots & Scenery gallery, then register and upload your “somewhere between the islands and the arctic” photos.

Thought I’d update everyone with the growing list of Snoloha retailers.

Next month Snoloha gear will be available at Boyne Country Sports in Petoskey and at Boyne Mountain.

In May Snoloha gear will be available at The Fish Hook in historic Fishtown (Leland, Michigan). And also at The Sportsman Shop in beautiful Glen Arbor.

Remember, if you know of a retail shop near you that you feel should be carrying Snoloha gear, let us know! Heck, let them know!

And if you are a retailer interested in carrying Snoloha, contact us.