By Laura McAlister
Cahaba Heights has a new bar, but this one is serving up something a little different.
Jamie Holley and Shannon Hopkins recently opened green tees, an embellishment bar with endless possibili(tees), in the back of their urban green shop. At this bar, the main item on the menu is fabric – and lots of it.
Customers can choose from a large variety of embellishments, all made from old clothing and fabrics, to design a one-of-a-kind T-shirt.
“We call it ‘upcycling, ’ ” Hopkins said. “We’ve got all these different embellishments that are made from recycled — or repurposed, really — clothing. What you have when you finish a shirt is something totally different and unique.”
The T-shirts come in a variety of colors and sizes and are made from organic bamboo. According to its website, green tees has something to offer ages 2 to 99. The tees are the main menu item, but customers can also create headbands, hair clips, scarves, hats and brooches. The menu is constantly growing, Holley said.
When customers enter the T-shirt bar, one of the first things they’ll see are glass candy jars filled with the different embellishments. Some are scraps of fabric with frayed edges, while others have been made into flowers.
After picking out a T-shirt, customers are sent to the private dressing room to try on their garment before they begin designing.
“We want to make sure it fits perfectly,” Hopkins said.
The customer can choose from the hundreds of embellishments to create the T-shirt. Cost is dependent on the number of embellishments used, but a typical shirt is about $25.
Although customers are in charge of the design, sewing is not a requirement at green tees. In fact, neither Holley nor Hopkins can sew.
“We use fabric glue to place the items,” Holley said. “Then we send them to a seamstress. We can’t sew a lick, but we love fabrics.”
T-shirts are typically ready for pickup within four days after the making of the shirt and are packaged in paper bags.
In addition to designing the tees, customers also get to personalize their labels. Hopkins said they put the customer’s name on the tag along with whatever else they might like.
“We’ve had some put a Bible verse on their label or just a message of some sort,” Hopkins said. “It’s great for a gift because you can really personalize it.”
Though Hopkins and Holley don’t have fashion backgrounds – they were both communication majors – their love of crafts and fabrics seemed to make the T-shirt bar the perfect fit for the two. The mothers also had lots of old clothes to get the bar started. Hopkins has four children, and Holley is the mother of two.
“As far as children go, their clothing can get expensive,” Holley said. “This is much more budget friendly. It’s maybe a third of what you would pay, and it’s just fun. It’s hands-on.”
The T-shirt bar can accommodate about 20 people. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more.
Since opening, green tees has hosted birthday parties for young girls, a ladies’ night out and walk-in customers.
“It’s not a real bar, but we do have a bar where we can serve Cokes and pizza or whatever,” Hopkins said. “We can also have BYOW, Bring Your Own Wine, for those wanting to have like a girls’ night out.”
Green tees is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and is also open for scheduled after-hour parties and events.
