I’ve really enjoyed writing this ‘column’ over the course of this year. I’ve mostly used this space to share my reflections on the past decade. Not often does one have a chance to look back at where we’ve come from, so thank you for sticking with us as we stroll down memory lane together.
Ten years is a funny thing. Looking at early pictures of the store, it’s evident we didn’t quite know what we were doing—let alone how long this pipe dream would last or what we would become. Cassie and I simply saw an opportunity to “be the change we wish to see in the world,” and we took a chance on opening a store in Uptown Butte.
I remember walking into the store for the very first time. Two steps inside the door, I immediately felt like we had made a mistake. I was scared and felt immense pressure, both from myself and from a community I didn’t want to let down. Gosh, I didn’t even know where to start when it came to creating a store. Then came the boxes, the late nights, the sacrifices, and the second-guessing. But more importantly, there were laughs, friends, hope, joy, and a sense of purpose.
And somehow, here we are. Ten years later.
Because when you look back, it’s not really the shirts you remember. It’s the people. It’s Cassie looking me in the eye and believing we could do it. The employees who help build it every day and the customers who keep coming back. It’s friends who never doubted us and the community that gave 5518 a place to grow.
We’re incredibly grateful for all of it—the good ideas (bad ones too), the unexpected turns, and all the memories in between.
It’s also a great moment to look to the future. We’re excited to launch the next evolution in our business: 5518 Gives. At least 1% of every dollar spent with 5518 Designs will go to the foundation. We believe this will amplify our positive impact and community-building efforts.
Here’s to the first ten years—and to what we can do together in the next ten!
~Jon
