Our TACo Tale...

At first glance, people must look at us and think “Wow!, they must really like tacos!”, and they're not wrong, I mean, come on...TACOS! While we do love tacos, it’s much more than that…

The Taco Apparel Company story began in a popular Chicago taco spot, where Phil, our visionary, was eating some life-changing (no, seriously, LIFE-CHANGING) tacos with his daughter. At the time, Phil was at a crossroad in his career and as he sat there, eating his ah-mazing tacos, he looked around and thought how cool it would be to have something like that for himself. He told his daughter, “We need to have our own taco stand.” As many daughters do when their dad shares his dream, she replied with an obligatory, “Yeah, Dad, that would be great.” Phil’s “taco stand” was more of a metaphor for him, it represented his dream of creating something he could call his own and doing his own thing. He wasn’t quite sure what it would be, but he knew that whatever it was, it would be great, and now was the time to do it.

At the same time, Laura, Phil’s sister-in-law, and our artist, was also working on her “taco stand” dream. Laura, a graphic designer by trade, had sadly lost her husband, Chad, to cancer several years before. She was determined to create a company of some kind that would honor his memory. One of Chad’s nicknames was Hammer, so she wanted to name the company Missing Hammer, because she was indeed, missing Hammer. She wanted the company to be fun and creative, because Chad was both of those things. Another must was that the company had to give back in some way. Laura wasn’t quite sure what the company would be, but she knew that whatever it was, it would be great, and now was the time to do it.

Phil and Laura started talking, sharing their plans and ideas. They decided to combine their “taco stand” dreams, become partners and form a company, Missing Hammer Brands, and the first brand would be Taco Apparel Company, a nod to the origin of the “taco stand” dream.

It has been an exciting and fun journey, filled with many days of trying on a zillion hats, hoodies and t shirts, looking for just the right ones to represent the high quality that we know you will love; as well as eating a zillion ah-mazing tacos! 

Our hope is that when you see the Taco Apparel Company logo, it will remind you to have fun, do good things, follow your passion and go for it! Achieve your "taco stand” dream, because as we all know, whatever it is, it will be great, and now is the time to do it!

(Oh yeah, who am I? I’m Julie, the narrator, Phil’s wife, Laura’s sister and supporter of these two brilliant people.)