The first in our series of fan-businesses profiles John Street Graphics, hands down the best place to get your lot shirts made for a solid price. Based in Matthews, NC, and run by Kyle Donaghy, of moe.’s ‘Kyle’s Song’ fame, John Street Graphics specializes in screenprinting and embroidery.
A little background on John Street (johnstreet.net)
John Street Graphics was started in 1991 in the town of Matthews, North Carloina by Kyle Donaghy. Their history with lot shirts goes back to the early 90’s when they would go to Grateful Dead shows and sell tees to pay for road trips. Kyle and his friends sold shirts, following the Dead up and down the east coast for 5 years or so. Their most famous Dead tee being the green Charlotte Dead shirt they had on the lot in the spring of 1995, and the Spring Tripping Atlanta shirt from 1994.
Around ’94 Kyle, his brother Ryan and friend Chris Pettyjohnstarted seeing Phish, but didn’t make any lot shirts until the Raleigh show in Summer 95. Their first successful shirt was the YEM/STP shirt that debuted at the Clifford Ball shows
Kyle put a custom design on the back for the shows, which became the tradition from then on. It was then that they met up with Tripp Shealy, who had his own cool tee he sold featuring some of his early ‘now famous’ art.
John Street tees have been at a lot of great Phish shows over the years. The Clifford Ball, ’96 & ’98 Halloween shows, the Lemonwheel, Big Cypress, and Coventry. At almost any given time between New Years Run 1996 and Coventry, you could find Ryan or Chris selling John Street originals. “Lot Poster King” Tripp Shealy even learned how to print and worked at John Street!
John Street and Kyle are a significant part of the Phish Community, with Kyle noting “One of the greatest feelings in the world is to see one of your creations on someone in Colorado, or Washington State, or wherever! Thank you to all of you who have supported our love of touring and music through the years, we could not have done it without you! See you soon.”
What has John Street made you ask? Why only some of the most iconic Phish lot shirts seen in the past decade+.
Just to name a few:
Sneakin Sally Nut Bag Ale
Piper/PBR
Icculus/Adidas
Reba/Bass
YEM/STP
Llama/Camel
Bug/Mug Root Beer
I Survived Hiatus
and so many more….
(images coming soon)
You may have seen John Street Graphics next to the Merch tent at any moe.down in the last decade – they make and sell a great deal of moe. products as well.
Having used John Street for lot shirts for sometime now, I can say for the first time that John Street is an official ‘PhanArt Recommended, PhanArt Approved’ fan-business.
Check them out at Johnstreet.net or email Kyle at info@johnstreet.net
Tell ’em PhanArt sent ya.
