If you’re looking for a T-shirt that’s attractive, unique, and let’s everyone know how much you love Buffalo, visit CityLove at 830 Elmwood Avenue. Tony Maggiotto has a clothing shop that reflects the owner’s love for everything Buffalo.
It seems that everyone in WNY likes a Buffalo T-shirt, and CityLove certainly has those. Whether you want to show your support for a local sports team, offer an opinion on a community issue, or simply express your pride in being a Buffalonian, the collection at CityLove is for you. The T-shirts have innovative designs that proclaim things like, “I LEFT MY HEART ON ELMWOOD,” “I Believe in Main Street,” and “Peace Bridge Planning Committee.” The designs at the shop are not only from CityLove, but also from “Feel The Buffalove” and “Buffalo Sports Tees.”
It hasn’t been that long that T-shirts have been used as a means of expression. It is believed that T-shirts go back first originated in ancient Egypt (as did just about everything else), but it wasn’t until the early 1900s that they became commonplace. Most historians believe that the military helped popularize the T-shirt – some say it was the US Navy, while other historians say it was the “swabs” in the British Royal Navy. The military found that it made wearing heavy woolen uniforms more comfortable, Anyway, during World War II the T-shirt had become standard issue undershirts in the U.S. Army and the Navy. The T-shirt was considered underwear, but often soldiers wore it without a shirt covering it, especially while in warmer climates. It gradually became more acceptable to wear a T-shirt in public, especially when movie stars like Marlon Brando and James Dean began wearing them.
It didn’t take long after that for plain white T’s to be used to send messages. The Smithsonian Museum has what it calls ‘the oldest printed T-shirt’ on record on display, a “Dew It for Dewey” campaign shirt for New York Gov. Thomas Dewey’s 1948 presidential campaign. By the 1960s, the tie-dye craze and the introduction of screen-printing solidified the T-shirt’s place as a fashion accessory. Advances in printing and dying allowed more variety and the Tank Top, Muscle Shirt, Scoop Neck, V-Neck, and many other variations of the T-shirt came in to fashion.
Tony Maggiotto has turned the former Stache on Elmwood into a shop that offers a wide variety of T-shirts and other clothing with a Buffalo theme. “Right now were have tops, hoodies, and track jackets, but we plan to eventually offer apparel for head to toe,” he said. “My gig is to provide clothing that’s geared to 15- to 30-year-olds who like a modern fit, and we’re definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to quality.”
Tony is always on the lookout for talented local artists to work with. “I’m not a designer, I’m an entrepreneur,” he stated. “But I’m looking to team up with creative and productive people who want to promote Buffalo. All of our products are ‘pro-Buffalo’.”
“I want to work with local artists and provide an opportunity for them to sell their products through CityLove,” he said. In addition to the clothing, Tony features other Buffalo-themed products made by local artists, like note cards by Ry Stephens Designs, Jewelry by Patricia Neeson, and photographs from Jim Klein of Buffalography, Caroline Bronckers of Exposure Buffalo and Erin Eickelrunt.
If you love Buffalo — and especially if you love T-shirts – be sure to stop by CityLove and check out the unique inventory.
www.citylovebuffalo.com
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