Empowering Youth Through Art: Town Tees Transforms from Basement Startup to Community Staple | Written By Lindsay W. (Dufferin Board of Trade)
Since 2018, Town Tees has grown from Andrew James and his wife Juli-Anne’s basement into a vibrant business for local youth, recently opening its own storefront in 2023. With Andrew’s strong passion for the arts and extensive experience in graphic design, Town Tees specializes in quality prints on apparel and hard goods. Priding itself on being a youth-run social enterprise, they are dedicated to empowering young minds, collaborating closely with other art-focused youth organizations in Dufferin County, including Streams Community Hub, which was co-founded by Juli-Anne and Andrew.
Moving to Shelburne in 2015, after initially visiting in 2013, Andrew reflects, “We saw an opportunity for us to provide a space for youth to explore their creativity in the arts.” His interest in apparel printing was sparked while helping his brother-in-law with the designs. By discovering this new creative outlet, “I knew I could eventually use this to mentor youth and introduce them to their first jobs,” Andrew explains.
“Staying engaged in the community dictates what we do and how we do it”
With limited job opportunities for youth in Dufferin County, Andrew is committed to bridging this gap by offering more than just employment, but by fostering personal growth in a creative environment. Alongside earning a paycheck, Town Tee’s aims to teach soft skills to their young employees. “Leadership, teamwork, building self-confidence, and business education,” Andrew elaborates, “skills that can hopefully be applied in their future endeavors.” By nurturing positive and collaborative spaces now, Andrew believes “We can empower them to be healthy and contributing community members for tomorrow.”
Another distinctive aspect of Town Tee’s is its Affiliate program, which allows local businesses, organizations, schools, sports teams and clubs to sell decorated apparel without maintaining a large inventory. With on demand printing, they can choose from a variety of products in different colors and styles. Proceeds from the sales go directly to these organizations, offering flexibility in pricing. Whether it’s a team uniform or a personalized birthday shirt, Town Tees “Specializes in one. We can do one and we can 1000 shirts” explains Andrew.
Using a portion of sales to support arts and youth-focused initiatives like Streams Community Hub demonstrates Town Tee’s commitment to community involvement. “What we do is about supporting the arts and the youth, who are our future,” Andrew notes. Access to these creative programs contributes to community growth, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement amongst young people.
“Art is a part of everything we do in life. Its sooths our soul and it inspires us”
Looking to the future, Andrew hopes to expand Town Tee’s impact, aiming to provide more support, and “to give beyond comprehension” through donations and creative programming. Together with Juli-Anne, their goal is to continue promoting positive change in the community by building relationships and empowering youth. “It helps a young person to know that they’re other people that care about them and have their back. That they have a place in the community” Andrew concludes, highlighting the importance of the arts and inclusivity in Dufferin County.