Jay tipped us off about this feature in the most recent issue of GQ magazine. Congratulations!

Check out the link here (Rogues’ slide is number 6)

Portland, Maine is a rather long drive from Moorestown, New Jersey.

Portland, Maine is also much, much colder than Moorestown, New Jersey.

That being said, a 9- hour trip with my boss/cohort up north to the salty heart of New England was easier to justify than I had originally thought.  Easier to justify because I knew that we woud be spending time with our good friends at White Rock Distilleries (which is a whole separate post for another rainy/snowy day), and would invariably be swinging by the Rogues Gallery retail space in downtown Portland.

Though I can’t profess to being a die-hard Rogues customer, I can certainly appreciate the image that their brand has crafted and their attention to detail throughout all aspects of their operation.  Their retail space is no exception.  Walking up Wharf street towards the store I couldn’t help but investigate the cobble-stone street surface, and the various quaint storefronts tucked away from the main roads.  We were greeted by a hand-painted 40% off sale sign, and I saw Rick start to twitch.

Walking in, the smell of the store was the first thing I noticed.  This smell was reminiscent of a  musty, old trunk, but in the best way possible .  It really started me thinking about how there are signs of this vintage, and completely intentional, New England aesthetic all around me.  The old signs, deer heads, wooden tables, and other interesting elements all contribute to a very coherent retail experience that is too easy to get wrapped up in.

Later that same night we met up with Jay of Rogues Gallery for some beers and local pub fare.  Rick and I have wanted to check out the Rogues screen-printing facilities, which also happen to be located right in Portland, for a long time now.  Thankfully after a couple of beers and amazingly-mediocre nachos, we all piled into Jay’s car and made our way across town to their production facilities.  A quick tour ensued, which consisted of Rick and I pointing at something and saying “Jay, whats that?” or  “Hey Jay, what is this for?” etc.  Jay ended the night by giving us an amazing opportunity to pick out our own t-shirt graphic to be printed right there, on the spot.  The amount of screens to choose from for our t-shirts was astounding, and downright over-whelming.  In the end Rick chose one with axes and I chose one with guns (our attempt at looking as tough as possible for the New-Englanders present).

Thanks to Jay, Alex, Chad and everyone at Rogues Gallery for the memorable experience.

It was definitely appreciated.

GO TO JAY AND ALEX’S BLOG

Here is another spot in Philadelphia that Amy and I go to all the time — Amy being my wife.  They have a ton of very cool “one-of-a-kind” pieces.  They are located at Liberty Walk in the Northern Liberties.  I have picked up a few pieces of jewelry that are crazy cool.  Men’s and Women’s clothing, boots, jackets–they have something for everyone, hmm everyone?????

They have a ton of in-store shows, live music and charity events. Check out their web site and join their mailing list.

You can find them at:

Delicious Boutique & Corseterie
1040 N. American St. #901
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215-413-0375

http://www.deliciousboutique.com/

Here is my new Bilenky Tourlite.  It is an Artisan Model Custom Built.

Brad and I are going to start riding as much as possible to the studio.  This bike is just another example of the great bikes that Stephen Bilenky produces.  Notice the custom 12-pack rack with integrated Beer Bottle opener and the Dual headlamps.  The bike is a vintage mix: Vintage Campy hubs and Vintage Bars and Shifters, no indexing here Friction shift…

Check back for more Pics.

Just some block carvings that we are working on in the studio.

I spoke with Jay at Rogues today and he sent me a sneak peek at the new line so I pulled out a few looks that I like.

We’ll be making a trip to Maine next week to hook up with the Guys again and get a pair of the deck boots and the new Scrimshaw Knife that is on the PTLDME blog.

Check those knives out they are super sweet.

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