Simply put time and place is for the white kids that like hip hop, the black kids who skate board, and every stereotype rule breakers of every shade in between.
In reality I didn’t know how to answer the question, I know we’re not for everyone but I think that’s great. To be liked by many or loved by few, I prefer the ladder.
I’ve always been an eyewear enthusiast. Some people look at people shoes first when they first meet someone. I look at what frames they’re sporting.
After analyzing the eyewear market I realized nothing really spoke to me, and if it did, it was $400 because it had a prestigious name brand attached. I liked cool frames but putting up hundreds of dollars for something I’d likely lose or break was a no go for me.
Then I thought to myself “does this business really care about me or the neighborhood I live in?” I’ve always liked the idea of local business who participated in the affairs of the community they served. Like how my favorite local coffee shop (brew in 5 points) felt like a home opened up to anyone seeking a comfortable spot to fuel up for a busy day ahead. Star bucks offers nothing besides a transaction.
I live in the northeast of Florida, in a city called Jacksonville. I was born here, I left, never thought I’d make my return. My only experience of this place was visiting relatives, whom many would refer to as country, rednecks, hill billys. Which by the way isn’t a horrible way to live, but I always felt like the odd one out I grew up in a metropolis in a foreign country. I was always into art, fashion, design, and music many of my relatives would raise an eyebrow at. I thought that whatever Jacksonville had to offer, I wasn’t interested in. I thought these things were only celebrated on the west coast. It was a naive thought but it was the reality I convinced myself was true
I started time-place regardless of my naive perception of my surroundings. Then I met AKAY Goins. An exceptional talented painter, musician, and fashion designer. I found him on instagram. We discussed our shared fascination with Jean Michelle Basquiat. Wow! Someone else in this city is kinda like me I thought. I drove to AKAY’s house. Gifted him about 20 canvas I had manically worked on before going to rehab. I gave him some glasses and bought one of his paintings. I was beyond excited for the year years I was here I kept to myself. Thinking there was no like minded creative dreamers in this dump I reluctantly was calling my temporary home. But this gave me hope that I would meet more.
Of course I did. I’ve met some of the most ambitious talented human beings I’ve ever came across in this city not known for creative expression. And as time went by the idea of leaving became less occurring.
Like many larger cities, Jacksonville has an NFL team, the Jaguars. As I became more aware of where I was living it was apparent this sports team had their finger on the pulse of the culture of this city. San Diego had multiple sports teams, it was nice it was cool, resident enjoyed it, but not like here. Some would say the Jaguars seem to be the only main attraction of Jacksonville Florida. And for sports mega fans this may be true.
My super stars are the ones who take ideas out of their heads, bring them fruition, and share them with the world to be either criticized, adored or given not much care at all. I became determined to spotlight these people and these ideas to the best of my abilities. I want to prove to not just resident here but outsiders as well, there’s plenty of super stars in Jacksonville and majority don’t wear pads on a field. From musicians, chefs, visual artists, entrepreneurs, there’s so much here I was unaware of.
There wasn’t an eyewear brand here, a local one, who served the community the way Brew does, competing with publicly traded companies. These were the ideas that went into the inception of time-place.
People start businesses with a goal to take over the world. That’s fine be ambitious. But realistically can you conquer your neighborhood first? By hyper focusing my attention the the surroundings the goal is to become The Jacksonville Eyewear Brand. It’s been a fun goal to try accomplishing. It also made me realize I more so got into the business for the connections I didn’t have before. Sales are cool, sales are great they are what keep the engine running, but what keeps me running is going out and seeing my products being sported by people I know or don’t know, the people I’ve came across on the this journey.