Buffalo Rising Online

Dec 13th 2007, 11:54pm By Laura Sargent

Always full of wisdom and unequivocal taste, YUM Editor Christa Seychew gave me a gift giving tip that I felt needed to be passed on to the public. Turns out that there is a great studio located about one block from my former apartment, that has remained tucked away from my line of sight since 2005.
Where To Roam carries a line of tees, hoodies and scarves with hip Buffalo designs created in-studio by designers, Mark and Jill Wisz. What makes these designs unique is that this couple has a long standing background in the graphic design field through their other lucrative business, OtherWisz Creative Corp. Between the two of them, Buffalonians have been viewing their eye catching imagery in the form of logo designs, websites, ‘zines and band bills for years.
Where To Roam is set to have their one weekend a year Holiday sale/open studio this coming weekend, but Mark Wisz was kind enough to devote a chunk of time to a couple questions that we put together for him.
Laura Sargent: About how many t-shirt designs, total, do you offer?
Mark Wisz: We have 15 different items for sale including Buffalo Snow Tees and Hoodies, Architecture Tees, a BfloBaby infant Tee and a really cool scarf. We have created 3 lines so far and we are looking to create a new line of architecture tees for this Spring, or maybe something that might not be so Buffalo-centric even. We want to push our designs further this time around.
LS: Do you hold any yearly contests where you might accept designs from the public?
MW: We have had a few contests. We once had expatriates submit essays on their love of Buffalo-- those out-of-towners sure do seem to miss the Queen city once they have flown the coop.
LS: How is t-shirt design different from web or print design?
MW: Our main business is graphic design and web development (OtherWisz Creative Corp), along the way we had created some apparel graphics for some of our clients. We thought, 'we are doing this really cool stuff for them, why not do something for us'. The T-shirts started out as a fun way for us to promote Buffalo by trying to use imagery that wasn't 'ch---ken wings' or buffaloes (the animal).
Wearable art is unique in that the design must conform to different body types, the canvas is always shifting, especially since it is on stretchable material. We use high quality American Apparel products, and they have some wonderful colors that serve as the vehicle for our designs.
It is great to see someone wearing a W2R tee. They are wearing a piece of art we created- and that is cool! One time last winter, I had pulled up behind a car at the light at Lexington and Elmwood. The driver jumped out to brush the snow off his back window. The light changed to green and I was going to give him a "come on" horn honk... until I saw he was wearing one of our SnowBuffalo tees. That was pretty cool.
LS: Do you all work with any other city programs or charities?
MW: We are big Buffalo boosters, though we work with a lot of companies in town that have national or even international markets. Jill and I are from the area and we wouldn't live anywhere else- the change of seasons, the cozy winter, the gorgeous summer. There are of great people in this little old Queen city.
We do a lot of work for non-profits, our favorite is Literacy Volunteers of Buffalo (I was on the board for several years and they had awarded OtherWisz their 'volunteer of the year' award this past Fall - very humbling). We have also worked with the Children's Hospital's Fitness Frenzy fundraiser, the Brian Mormon PUNT Foundation, and we just created a website for the Joan A. Male Family Support Center.
Last Summer we worked with Erie County to better market the city's recycling program with a series of billboards, bus tails and a direct mailer that went out to 100,000 households in the city limits.
LS: What other local businesses have you done work with?
MW: Garrett Leather, Kenmore Development, Auburn Watson, Vintage Canoworks, Buffalo Spree, Independent Nursing Care, Harmonic Resolution Systems, LP Ciminelli, Millard Fillmore College and many more.
LS: What do you think of the green Christmas lights on Elmwood?
MW: I like the green lights-- they appear very environmental, yet they are burning electricity. What a beautiful illusion!
LS: So true! Did you decorate the studio this year?
MW: We have lights and wreaths.
LS: Is the studio/office easy to locate?
MW: Our store is sort of hidden- no signage really. It is located in the 1st floor of a turn-of-the-century barn, that is OtherWisz headquarters- our design studio. The Wear to Roam store occupies the 1st floor with the OW lounge. It is located at 252 Lexington, between Ashland and Norwood. The barn is behind the house, walk up the driveway into the yard and you'll see the barn.
LS: Where did you buy your Christmas tree from?
MW: Clinton-Bailey market.
LS: Do you offer any pet clothing?
MW: Not yet, infant clothing was out 1st non-adult item. maybe this year coming up. People do love to dress up their pooches! Though the clothes I see are always for dogs... isn't it time someone designs clothing for guinea pigs, lizards, snakes...?
LS: It is time!

Where To Roam Holiday Sale!
Friday, December 14, 12-8 PM
Saturday, December 15, 12-5 PM
Studio located behind 252 Lexington Avenue