Blacksmith Coffee, Custom Collaboration

Online shopping is often a very anonymous experience even when a person clicks that box to "accept social marketing". Things change though when running a small business. Especially when all shipping labels and boxes are prepared by the same people who handle the social media and all other forms of communication (and everything else, for that matter!).

Since early on in the life of General Knot & Co., we began noticing a consistent couple of fellows (@greenwaybarista & @hermitudinous) from Houston, Texas making regular purchases of some of our most spectacular designs. Different fellows, same address- Blacksmith Coffee, 1018 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX. With a click or two and a short stroll through their Instagram feeds, it became clear that we weren't dealing with just any group of baristas. These guys were world class, handily winning barista competitions, taking their own brand of roasting arts (they're also Greenway Coffee) from sea to shining sea and looking damn sharp while doing it.

Instagram comments lead to email conversations that eventually lead to meeting in person in Houston this past January. The fine fellows of Blacksmith very graciously brought me down to Houston to be a part of their growing event series called Made By Hands. Finally meeting face to face, seeing the impeccably run Blacksmith operation, and tasting their delicious coffee (my inaugural cup is above left) I was enlightened as to why we were drawn together. Both life and craft are about the overall longview, but care for the details is what propels us to gravitate to things that are considered and special.

We created the above exclusive custom neckties and kerchiefs from our library of rare and vintage fabrics to suit the fun and colorful personalities of the whole Blacksmith crew. From the below snap shots, the collaboration looks to be a success... (photos courtesy of Blacksmith)