Proper Noun(s) of the Week #11: Jeff & Mike from CLE Clothing

It's been a few weeks since I put the last one of these Q&As up so I wanted to make sure I went with a sure winner. And who better to please the masses than Cleveland's favorite Cleveland t-shirt maker, CLE Clothing.

I'll admit that when I first heard about the company, I figured it was just another t-shirt company. And when I first saw their clever shirts, I figured at that point they were just another clever t-shirt company. But it was when I saw their recent t-shirt that takes a novel tack on the CLE acronym and, in turn, does a good deed every time one is purchased, it made me look at the company anew. (Check it out here.)And when I did, I realized that the dudes that run this shop have some serious love for our great city.

So, a little while back, I sent a feeler out to the team and got a reply from not just one of the clothing gurus over there, but a double response! Read on to hear Jeff and Mike's thoughts about living and working in Cleveland...


JEFF from CLE

1) How long have you been in Cleveland? And if you didn't grow up in Cleveland, where'd you relocate here from?

I grew up in Middleburg Heights and moved to Medina in 7th grade. I moved away to NC for 5 years and two years ago I moved back before Mike and I decided to finally launch CLE.

2) What is your favorite Cleveland memory?
I have two, First is going to the old stadium to see my first Browns game, I was around 10 or so and it was freezing out seemed like it was below 0, but then again I was 10. I know it was a Monday night game and that it ended in a 10-10 tie. Even though I cannot remember who we played I just remember all the first experiences at the old stadium.

Second, my fathers company had 4 season tickets to the Cavs in the early to mid 90’s the team itself was horrible but I have very fond memories of my father allowing me to take 2 friends with me to the games (including Mike). Even though the Cavs were terrible we had a blast watching the games and trying to get on the FAN cam as many times as possible.

3) How does Cleveland influence your work?
Cleveland is our work. A lot of people have some not to nice things to say about the city of Cleveland. Personally I think all that is Crap, Cleveland has gotten a bad rap, not just here but in the whole country. Cleveland is a great place to live, great place to hang out and an even better place to grow up and raise a family. With a little bit more work we can really revitalize downtown and make it a new city. Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes Cleveland can remake itself into anything it want. It just takes a little drive and most of all hard work. Young people are in the 20’s and 30’s are starting to revitalize this and hopefully we can get the rest of Clevelanders on board as well.

4) What would be your ideal Cleveland day? Or, to put it another way, if it was your birthday and your nearest and dearest were all willing to do what you wanted, what would your day be like?

I would love to go on down to the good old Jake and watch a tribe game. (Its still the Jake to me no matter what anyone says) My birthday is on 7/11 so it’s an ideal time to take everyone to a tribe game.

5) Say you had a friend coming in for 24 hours and had never been to Cleveland before. What would you make sure they saw and did?

I would take him on a tour of downtown so he can see some of the sights, the stadiums, the waterfront, Terminal tower. I would then take them to dinner at a classic Cleveland restaurant, too many to mention here. I would follow that up with a sports game, being a Browns, Cavs, Indians or even a Monsters game. To finish our evening I would take them out either on the east or west side to one of the great new bar areas that have been popping up. We would then end up downtown again going to shooters and end it staying I some high rise hotel downtown. If you could fit it all in that would be a classic Cleveland day.

6) What is something from another city you wish you could import to Cleveland?
I was recently in Winston Salem NC for the weekend, and they have a great concept going down there. Several times during the summer they close many of the streets to traffic and allow several band to play at venues across the city. You can just walk between these restaurants and bars and everyone is friendly and has a blast. A though there is a heavy police presence that allow you to walk around with drinks between bars and have an overall great time. I would love to see something like this come to Cleveland. It would be a great boost to the city.

7) If you had the undivided attention of the mayor, city council, and county commissioners, what would be the one thing you'd ask for or tell them?

I would ask them to lower the Tax rate in Cuyahoga county, I believe it is up to 7.75% it is just smothering businesses in Cleveland forcing many to move away. Because there is less every year they continue to raise it to try and make up for their losses. I believe if we would lower our tax rate to 5% or fewer companies would flock to Cleveland and after several years we would far surpass the amount of Taxes they made at the old rate. Just a thought coming from a small business owner in North Eastern Ohio.

MIKE FROM CLE

1) How long have you been in Cleveland? And if you didn't grow up in Cleveland, where'd you relocate here from?

I’ve been in the Cleveland area pretty much my whole life, minus the college years. I was born in Akron and grew up in Sharon Center. Went to college in the Columbus area and move to the West Side of Cleveland soon after graduation.

2) What is your favorite Cleveland memory?
I’m still waiting on that one….”maybe next year???” ask me in June 2010….But if I had to choose, it would have been anytime my dad took me to a Cavs game in the old Coliseum, I now pay him back by buying him tickets to the Cavs games at the “Q”.

3) How does Cleveland influence your work?
Cleveland is our work. We design T-shirts themed around Cleveland, a challenging, but fun little adventure. The challenge is coming up with an idea for a t-shirt, then making it fashionable and cool and something people want to wear. We really want to be a part of the “evolution” that we see going on in Cleveland. It is really a great town, it’s just that more people need to step up and realize that. I think “we” as people depend too much on the people who run the town to make changes, but there are the few that are stepping up and “being” the change. It’s just going to take some time for others to start to follow. So…take a chance…start a business, start an art gallery, start a restaurant…. it will only take a few to get the ball rolling in the right direction. I mean really, we have the “Iron Chef” and the Best Basketball Player in the world…you can be the best in what you do… in Cleveland…you don’t have to move to New York, or LA, or Chicago and be a part of the scene…hey! Be the start of the “next scene”. There are plenty of people doing what they want to do right here, in Cleveland and with the popularity of social media and the internet it really doesn’t matter where you live, just do your work as best as you can and strive to be the best and say you did this work in Cleveland. People will begin to notice.

4) What would be your ideal Cleveland day? Or, to put it another way, if it was your birthday and your nearest and dearest were all willing to do what you wanted, what would your day be like?

Well, I’d probably wake up and go for a jog along Edgewater. Lunch….don’t kill me on this one, but I’d have to go to Akron to get Swenson’s. A double Cheeseburger and fries, best Cheeseburger ever! Then I’d probably want to go to a Cavs game and lose my voice. Hang out on E. 4th for a bit wait for the traffic to leave. Then I’d hit up Tremont (Prosperity) or W 25th (Bier Markt) for a nightcap.

5) Say you had a friend coming in for 24 hours and had never been to Cleveland before. What would you make sure they saw and did?

It would probably be a little like the answer to # 4, but we’d have to go to a Browns game and then go to a show at the Grog shop as an addition.

6) What is something from another city you wish you could import to Cleveland?
Chicago’s - Beachfront.
Columbus’s – Art District the “Short North”
Pittsburgh’s – Defense (you’ve got to respect it)
A major Music festival at Burke Airport

7) If you had the undivided attention of the mayor, city council, and county commissioners, what would be the one thing you'd ask for or tell them?

Read # 3 and read Jeff’s answer.
Be sure to check out Mike and Jeff's collection of gear here and, next time you are thinking of wearing your civic heart on your sleeve, make sure it is attached to the rest of one of their killer shirts!

And if you found this post interesting, check out previous Proper Noun of the Week conversations about Cleveland and culture with the following interesting folks: Frank Revy, Bill Rupnik, Mina Hoyle, Brendan Walton, Leia Alligator, Arabella Proffer, Becca Riker, Greg Ruffing, Mallorie Freeman, and Dave Desimone.