An Open Letter To Target Stores, re: Local Pride

Dear TARGET,

We are big fans. Your stores have everything anyone could need, all under one roof, and we were thrilled when we heard you’d opened a store next to Fenway Park. But when you recently launched your “Local Pride” line of Boston themed t-shirts, our fans took note. They told us that our trademark “Green Monstah” t-shirt, which we’ve sold for ten years, was now available at Target, but missing the Sully’s Brand logo. This was one of a dozen other t-shirts, all promoting “Boston Pride”, courtesy of a man named Todd Snyder. “Who?” we all asked. A Google search revealed that “Todd Snyder” is a brand incorporated by a man of the same name in NEW YORK CITY.

Outsourcing Boston Pride to NYC? The home of the Yankees? The Evil Empire?! Say it ain’t so, Target. Say it ain’t so.

Sully’s Brand was born in Boston: our t-shirts and bumper stickers were first sold right out of our backpacks in the streets of Fenway during Sox games. Sully’s grew into its first headquarters—a basement office across the street from your Fenway store—and later to the North Shore when the building was torn down in lieu of luxury condos. Our growth was due to the loyalty of our Boston fans: they invested in our brand and we, in turn, invested back into our community.

In the last three years alone, Sully’s has donated upwards of $100,000 from the sale of our trademark “Believe In Boston” t-shirts. Recently, a 19-year-old Springfield resident asked us for help in honoring his heroic neighbor, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan—a Marine killed in Chattanooga, TN on July 16th—with a special edition t-shirt. The community responded, helping us pay tribute with a check for $33,297.20 to the Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan Fund after just 10 days of sales. Less than two weeks ago, we accompanied Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval to Boston Children’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to distribute a special signature Panda tee we designed; the Panda shirt will be available later this week in Shaw’s & Star Market stores to benefit the Jimmy Fund.

In other words, Target: you don’t need to import from New York when a hometown brand like Sully’s has spent the past 16 years helping people celebrate, honor, and rep this city. Boston fans are die-hards: loyal, out-spoken, and wear their hearts on their sleeves. Do you think they’d be happy to know their “Boston Pride” t-shirt was sold to them by a suit in NYC? That’s like finding out the lobster dinner they bought in Back Bay was shipped up to Boston from North Carolina.

We love you, Target; we always have. But you’ve made your “Boston Pride” line something that’s tough to be proud of. Our apparel is printed and shipped in Greater Boston, by Massachusetts residents. The brand was born here. We care deeply about our community and want to be great neighbors. If you want to support a company that genuinely embodies Boston’s local pride, shop Sully’s.

Sincerely,

The crew at Sully's:

Chris Wrenn (Salem, MA)

Sean Quigley (Lowell, MA)

Dan Keogh (Salem, MA)