In our second round of introductions, we ventured down to the cold, soggy docks on South Lake Union. The moon cast a faint glow in the black, thick fog. As we navigated the creaky wooden planks, we heard a commotion coming from the end of the dock. There we found Justin, perched atop a rustic sailboat, bottle of wine in hand, singing songs of the sea. With a joyous "ahoy!" he welcomed us aboard. A flickering candle and a crackling wood stove illuminated the boat. The soft light revealed a small cabin filled with leather-bound books. Their titles covered topics ranging from axel repair to orthopedic surgery. This was going to be an interesting interview...
Choke: How did you first learn about Choke?
Justin: I first learned about Choke when I responded to a Craigslist ad for a printshop helper position. Jeff responded to my email and I went to town learning all I could about Jeff & Matt, the shop and screen printing in general (thanks Google!) It turns out the guys had made my daughters favorite shirt, Giraffe.
Choke: How long have you been with the company?
Justin: A little over a year. The last year has flown by! I've gone from helping out at the shop a few days a week to becoming a full time employee, then onto becoming a part owner. I've gone from watching how-to videos on YouTube to being really confidant in my printing abilities. We still find ways to challenge ourselves printing wise. All of us are taking a crash course in the garment business- which I love, even though it can be overwhelming at times.
Choke: Where did you work before?
Justin: Before Choke, I spent the last 13 years working in orthopedic medicine (bones & joints). I was a faux nurse that got burnt out. There are a lot of similarities between being a small business owner and a nurse, but I'd rather wear a tee shirt & jeans than scrubs. Really, it's hard to make scrubs look good.
Choke: Compare working at Choke with your work as a "faux nurse."
Justin: Well Choke is by far better. Why, you ask? I work with 3 close friends, our dogs come to the shop, we listen to music- sometimes loudly! We laugh and hang out together after work. Years ago one of the doc's said "figure out what you like to do, then figure out how to get paid for it." Check & Check.
Choke: What's your favorite t-shirt style/blend?
Justin: 50/50 or TriBlend, Hands down. They are so soft and have a great visual texture to them. I'm uh, well, skinny so the cut & I get along swell too.
Justin: Seeing someone you don't know wearing your shirt! I had to go to the D.O.L. last week and the lady at the counter said I was wearing her favorite shirt, score!
Choke: When you're not screen printing, what do you do?
Justin: Ha, I try to keep things balanced, but we're remodeling our house and that consumes a lot of time. Last year we did the bathroom (adventure!) this winter we're doing the kitchen (almost done!). We're doing all the work ourselves so it takes a lot longer. Before I met my beautiful partner I lived on a sailboat. We still have the boat and I spend a lot of time restoring it with the hopes of some great adventures as soon as it warms up. Oh, I also do a little bit of running. Last year I ran my 1st 50 mile race. This year I hope to break 2:34 in the marathon. We have a shower at the shop so it makes running to work a lot easier.
Choke: If you could have anyone walk into the printshop, who would it be?
Justin: I'd be stoked if the Black Lips came in. I've seen them play a handful of times around the country and they put on a hell of a live show. We do a lot of work with local bands, so I'm always excited when a new artist walks in.
Choke: What is your favorite design?
Justin: My fav is #7. As much as I'm OK with the cold & rain, I'm a summer guy. Every time I put that shirt on I get transported to the boat, anchored off some remote island, basking in the sun and being gently rocked by the waves. Oh summer.......
Choke: If you get to the shop first, what Pandora station do you play? Which one do you hate?
Justin: Reggae for sure. Roots, Dance Hall, whatever. I'm typically in early so I can play what I want, as loud as I want until the boys show up. I'll listen to anything though. We go to Ballard for live music so Jack Rabbit & the Maldives are always great for printing to.
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