Ex-Longhorn's clothing brand Burlebo booming in Austin
[ad_1]
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A lot of great things have come out of the University of Texas, including some businesses created by former Texas Longhorns. One of those is Burlebo, an Austin-based clothing company created by Trey Wier.
The name is two parts, a nickname for him and his dad combined. To Wier, he said it means family. He also wanted to choose a name that people have people stop and pay attention to. And are they ever.
Evolution of Burlebo
The company has come a long way over the last decade. It was an idea started by Wier that turned into something so much more.
“I started buying vintage old school hats on eBay,” Wier said. “I would wear them in the locker room and the guys just loved them. So I’m like, this is pretty cool. Everybody is wanting what I’ve got, and I thought there’s something behind this.”
What was behind that original idea looks nothing like what the company does today.
“For us, we started as southern prep. Our logo was a nautical knot. It looked like a Vineyard Vines spinoff brand, which is not who I am. That’s not who our brand was,” Wier explained.
That evolution took time and patience.
‘Really started to flourish’
“Every couple years we would find our way like, that’s not really us, this is more us. And we kept chipping away until we really truly felt like this is who our brand is,” Wier said. “And that’s when we really started to flourish.”
Burlebo might best be known for its classic deer camo pattern.
“That is our number one right there,” Wier said. “Whether it’s a short, a bag, or if it’s a hoodie, that’s our go-to staple.”
Nowadays, that staple is keeping the company’s warehouse in southeast Austin packed with clothing for all ages.
“Whether you are needing a baby zip-up for your little one or are needing a polo for the dad, we’re going to have you covered,” he said. “It’s super important to us that people can outfit their entire family.”
The new location is also a massive leap from where the company began in Dripping Springs.
Moving from Dripping Springs to Austin
“When we decided to make that big move after 10 years in Dripping Springs to Austin, it was truly like, this is the next level of our business,” Wier said.
While the business continues to thrive, and can now be found in some major big box stores, Wier remains humble about what his company is all about.
“Starting a small business is extremely tough. It’s exciting. I think people think you’re the boss, you’re making all these grandiose decisions and it’s amazing, you’re rich and famous and it’s like that is the complete opposite of what it is,” Wier said. “You’re the trash guy, you’re the sales person, you’re the accounting person, you’re all the things you have to be. And that’s important. I think that’s one of the great things about small businesses is that you get to do it all for a long time and you try to figure out what’s important to you.”
To read more about Burlebo’s history, or check out the clothing, visit its website here.
[ad_2]
Source link
