Hippo-Tees.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
    • About Jeff
    • About Barry
  • Shop
    • Men’s
    • Women’s
    • Kid’s
    • Gifts
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My Account
  • Custom
  • Wholesale
  • Hippo Tales
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Blog / Then…

Then…

December 15, 2014 by Jeff

Hip-O-Potamus Founders, Jeffrey Axelrod and Barry Anderson, circa 1970 (right)
An ol’ photo from the 70s with Hip-O-Potamus Founders, Jeffrey Axelrod (mushroom-shirt) and Barry Anderson (right), circa 1970.

Rock-n-Roll T-Shirts Born!

Working out of a garage late at night, we printed a line of generic t-shirts, Superman, peace sign, marijuana leaf, and a few more. Stuffing the samples in an old film case, I set out for the artsy areas of San Francisco in the ’70s, plus Sausalito, Berkeley, etc. THEN the day came.

Going store to store in Mill Valley with no luck! Finally my last stop and the store owner said, “We don’t want your T-shirt designs, but by the way, can you print 200 t-shirts by Monday?”

Yes, of course! Somehow we managed to do just that, and that was the beginning of Rock-n-Roll t-shirts!

Jeff hanging with Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Rock-n-Roll T-Shirts were born!
Jeff hanging with Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.

It just so happened that the owner of that very store was the wife of the drummer for the iconic band, the Grateful Dead. It was 1971 and she had the vision to sell t-shirts at rock concerts, and so our t-shirt venture exploded! Our first rock’n t-shirts went on tour with the Grateful Dead.

Next the Allman brothers heard about us from the Dead, and we printed up a design for them. Next came the Doobie Brothers, then other famous bands of the ’70’s, knocking at our door. A line up forms at the office of Hip-O-Potamus Creations.

So traveling around San Francisco on my sales calls, I saunter into Winterland, where all the big rock concerts are being held by promoter Bill Graham.

I greeted Del who was taking tickets at the front desk. “Hi, how ’bout you try selling t-shirts tonight at the rock concert tonight?”

Rock-n-Roll T-Shirts - hippo-tees-t-shirt-logoHis reply was that it would never work. So I left him with 6 dozen t-shirts, and told him to call me in the morning. They sold out in 10 minutes!

So began our collaboration with Winterland Productions, owned by Bill Graham, and Dell. A chance meeting turned into a $200 million concert tour merchandising company!

Back at the office, Hip-O-Potamus Creations was furiously printing t-shirts, 24 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Rock-n-Roll t-shirts were everywhere THEN, and NOW still hot, hot, hot!!!

Cheers! - Jeff at Hippo-Tees.com
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on tumblr
Tumblr
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on google
Google
Share on stumbleupon
Stumbleupon
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Allman Brothers, Berkeley, Bill Graham, Doobie Brothers, Grateful Dead, Hip-O-Potamus, Mill Valley, Rock n Roll, San Francisco, Sausalito, Winterland

Cart

Top Rated Products

  • Hippo-Tees Livin' on the Fringes tee shirt Livin’ on the Fringes $20.00
  • Hippo-Tees, Don’t Cop Out, gold t-shirt Don’t Cop Out $21.00

From the Blog…

custom tees, vintage,

Custom Tees/Custom Tease

Custom Tees for Customers offering a "Custom … [Read More...]

Hippo Tweets

bit.ly/Fridaythe420 #hippotees #fridaythe420th #jason #classic#tee #limited… instagram.com/p/BNcLeNaA9LZ/

About 6 years ago from Hippo Tees's Twitter via Instagram

#happythanksgiving from#hippotees #cheers @ Las Vagas instagram.com/p/BNNn3lkgZ8D/

About 6 years ago from Hippo Tees's Twitter via Instagram

etsy.me/2fwRDbK #fridaythe420th #fridaythe13th #jasonmask #horror #movie #jasonvorhees… instagram.com/p/BNEbz5cg14d/

About 6 years ago from Hippo Tees's Twitter via Instagram

Hanging out with #mynugget #ponyboy from #losmarijunos #freedomleaf #hippotees #freshgfxlv… instagram.com/p/BM-KTf9AzSF/

About 6 years ago from Hippo Tees's Twitter via Instagram

#losmarijuanos #ponyboy #hippotees #pufftuff @ Las Vegas, Nevada instagram.com/p/BM4uT4OAy4w/

About 6 years ago from Hippo Tees's Twitter via Instagram

Follow @HippoTees
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My Account

Copyright © 2023 · hippo-tees.com · All rights reserved.

Return to top of page