“My mom started this t-shirt business in 1989 to quit her job and work for herself. I was ten and said let’s go. I didn’t have any fear and started working for her. Everyone in my family has gotten roped into working for this. My kids do it because the business will be theirs one day.

My grandfather is from Prichard, but he moved to Ohio during the Great Migration. I am the only grandkid who comes back to Alabama. We have been selling t-shirts at Mardi Gras for 31 years. Mobile is different from a lot of other places in the South. People remember me and check on me. They sincerely care when they ask how are you doing. The women at Church’s Chicken just asked my mom where I was. Mobile is a hugging place and wants everyone at the same table. Part of that is Mardi Gras bringing everyone together. Most cities don’t have that. Mobile is a big city with beautiful women and small-town vibes.

We live in Atlanta, but we go to events all around the country, including the Super Bowl, Daytona, and the Essence Festival. During Mardi Gras, we are always set up on Dauphin Street across from Wet Willie’s. It’s a good way to meet people and pay the bills. I don’t care too much about the money, I like talking to people and making them smile.

We design everything. I am working right now on ideas for next year’s Mardi Gras. If we think of it, we can make it happen. Sometimes customers give us good ideas. We know that being the birthplace of Mardi Gras is important to Mobile, so we have a lot of shirts with that. One of my favorite designs is for the masks of comedy and tragedy. To me, it means laugh now, cry later. Live now, die later.”

Andre