We recently had a chance to chat with one of our new customers, Nick Alligood from Whiskey No Rocks, and learn about where he’s looking to take his business with the power of Printavo.
We talked about his transition from being a musician to venturing into screen printing and embroidery. Nick shared details on building his business and starting a new chapter in Maine after hammering it out as a songwriter in Nashville.
Whiskey No Rocks: Inspiration from a song
With a full-time gig as a musician in the country music scene in Nashville, Nick was interested in creating his own custom-branded merchandise. He dubbed the brand Whiskey No Rocks, taken from a song lyric, and kicked things off in 2019 with the help of his colleagues at Red White Blue Apparel. The brand is co-owned by Nick’s business partner John Burke.
The Whiskey No Rocks merchandise line features Nick’s hand-drawn logo on popular items like trucker caps, snapback hats, hoodies, and T-shirts.
One of several merch options on the Whiskey No Rocks site. The brand carries apparel, including headwear, T-shirts, and hoodies.
Ramping up business
Since its launch in 2019, Whiskey No Rocks has picked up steam. The business now has customers in various industries, including NASCAR, professional fishing, live music, and soon a motocross pro. With that growth, Nick says he’s also transitioning the business from a side hustle to a full-time focus.
“This is what I’ll be doing 100% of the time,” he explains. “Now, I’ll be doing music more as an enjoyable thing and a hobby instead of doing it for a paycheck.”
Part of that full-time transition also means the business is changing its home base. Nick and his family are heading from Nashville up to Standish, Maine, where his wife has roots, and her family has been a part of the business community there. Nick and co-owner John Burke are setting up business under the name High Pine Screen Printing and Embroidery and plan to open doors in October 2023. High Pine will house production for Whiskey No Rocks, plus offer printing services to the local community.
Connecting with the community
Nick says he and his team aim to serve the needs of the Standish community, taking on various printing projects, from school systems to local breweries. Because it’s a rural area with fewer options for local printers, he hopes to provide those businesses with a print shop that can take care of what they need without looking further away to other states like Massachusetts.
Taking Whiskey No Rocks full-time means Nick can still pursue his music on the side.
The business plans to offer screen printing and embroidery services as they prep their new building for opening. They’re running a Riley Hopkins 300 8-color, 6-station press, and once the company picks up speed, there are tentative plans to run a Ricoma MT-2001-8S for embroidery customers.
On top of all the equipment and building preparations, Nick recently signed up for Printavo, which he says he aims to use to build efficient workflow management in the shop.
Looking ahead
Nick envisions Whiskey No Rocks going beyond local boundaries. In time, he says, as the business establishes its name in the Standish area, he’d also like to expand its footprint in national and regional markets and with licensing agreements.
“We want to get our feet nice and wet before we try to jump to mass production,” he adds. “It’s one thing to do a thousand shirts for somebody, but it’s another ball game when you’re trying to pump 5,000 shirts out. But I definitely see us going in that direction.”
Nick’s journey from full-time musician to printing entrepreneur is a testament to following your passions and seizing opportunities. We’re excited to see what the future holds for Whiskey No Rocks and watch their growth!
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