The WHY Louisville Blog has moved!

Our blog has a new home at WHYLouisville.com! It's nestled warmly in our shiny new website. Head over to WHYLouisville.com to check it out!

We'll leave the good ol' Blogger blog online for posterity's sake, but be sure to check out WHYLouisville.com for the new product highlights and humorous witticisms you've come to tolerate here on this site.

New Items from Hound Dog Press

We've got new letterpress postcards and greeting cards thanks to the boys down at Hound Dog Press, your friendly neighborhood letterpress shop located right in downtown Louisville.

Greeting Cards (available exclusively at WHY Louisville!) include:

• "Happy Birthday" with Fleur-de-Lis
• "Hello" with Kentucky Outline
• "The Real Home of Abraham Lincoln"
• "Merci Beaucoup" with Fleur-de-Lis

Postcards include:

• "Greetings From Kentucky"
• "You're A Wiener"

Attractions & Oddities

All of the strange and wonderful things you find at WHY Louisville now have their own home on the Web. Check out our new Attractions & Oddities page to learn more about The Bearwolf, our spinning Wheel of Awesome, the Mysterious Half Door, and other fun WHY Louisville-isms.

You-Doo Dolls

Got an inkjet printer and an insatiable blood vendetta against someone who's inconveniently filed a restraining order against you?

No? Just us?

Regardless, anyone can enjoy a You-Doo Doll from Noted LLC. It's a whole kit for creating a Voodoo doll of virtually anyone. The kit includes an inkjet iron-on transfer sheet and doll-sized shirt, skirt, and pants.

As you can see, we've taken the liberty of Voodooing Tricia and Jonathan. Go ahead and right-click their picture and "save-as" to magically transfer Tricia and Jonathan into your computer where they'll have to battle a Tron-esque super-villain in order to escape.

Stay Classy, Louisville

You've come to know and love WHY Louisville as the place to get a ridiculous, or adorable, or ridiculously adorable T-shirt. But sometimes your in-laws come over for dinner. You have to throw that T-shirt in the closet and put on something a little fancier. Something you might even use a clothes hanger for. There's no need to head to the Mall-o-Plex just yet. We've still got you covered.



Fleur-de-Lis Polo Tee
It'll work on the golf course. Or in da club. Or anywhere else you may be apt to wear a polo shirt. Printed on 100% cotton American Apparel brand polo tees.



Fleur-de-Lis Leisure Dress
There's nothing classier than a Louisville lady in a leisure dress. Printed on 100% combed cotton American Apparel brand leisure dresses.

Five Year Anniversary Wrap-up

We had a blast this past weekend celebrating five years of WHY Louisville-ness. Between the celebrities, the free T-shirts, and the unveiling of our new sidewalk sign, there was hardly enough Saturday to contain all of the fun!

Here's a little taste of what you were missing if you couldn't make it down. Check out even more photos on our Facebook page. A big, big thanks to John Wurth at Hatch Creative for the excellent photography.

Abe and his lady admirers

Our new sidewalk sign, waiting for a face to fill it in.

The Colonel and Bearwolf trade stock tips.

Tricia thinks something's funny. Daniel is skeptical.

An orchestra of creepy cymbol monkeys play their creepy cymbol tunes with joy and jubilation.

It's our birthday!

Did you know that WHY Louisville is turning five years old? That's, like, ancient in Bearwolf years. We'll be celebrating the occasion on June 19 with some great birthday party treats:

• Live Appearances by The Bearwolf, Abraham Lincoln, and Colonel Sanders
• A free T-shirt giveaway with purchases over $15
• Public unveiling of our new carnival cutout sign (illustrated by Col. JD Wilkes of The Legendary Shack*Shakers)
• Fun, games, surprises, What-Have-You!

Celebrations will be going on all day, and live appearances will be from 1:00 to 2:00. Come on down to 1583 Bardstown Road on June 19 to see what all the fuss is about!

Oh, you're an avid Facebook user? Go ahead and RSVP on our Facebook event page!

Hey, Handsome.

Try as he might, Papa couldn't keep his pipe smoke from spelling out the names of random U.S. cities. "Cleveland, Ohio" it would say. "El Paso, Texas". One time he even got "San Juan, Puerto Rico", even though it's a U.S. protectorate.

But his all-time favorite was "Louisville, Kentucky". He loved the way those dainty little letters dissolved into the night air. "Hey Handsome," they seemed to say. "I like your mustache."

The World Cup on Your Tabletop

"Just because I'm 45, overweight, asthmatic, and cripplingly nearsighted doesn't mean I'll never play in a FIFA World Cup," you tell yourself.

But it does. It does mean you'll never play in a FIFA World Cup. Not even for a minute. Never in this lifetime. Your cleats will never touch the rye grass of Ellis Park Stadium. We're sorry to be the ones to break it to you.

Once you stop crying, you should come into WHY Louisville for some retail therapy. Clear all those Taco Bueno wrappers off your coffee table and make room for Tabletop Foosball. It's exactly like the World Cup, except the players have been cruelly impaled by a giant steel bar and there aren't any yellow cards to deal with.

They're like iPhone apps, but real.

Are your kids learning how to read and write? Do they love the great outdoors? Sewing? Binge drinking? Chances are, there's a kit for that.

Dumpling Dynasty presents an assortment of attractively illustrated tin kits complete with all of the essential tools one needs to explore the world of arts and crafts, "adult beverages", and even exploration itself. Available now at WHY Louisville!

Writing Kit Includes

• Notebook
• Pencils in assorted colors
• Chinese writing stencil
• Self-inking stamp
• Eraser

Happy Hour Kit Includes

• Four tin coasters
• Asian cocktail guide
• Flamingo stirrers
• Chinese-style cocktail parasols

Bunny Sewing Kit Includes

• Needles and thread
• Bunny fabric pattern
• Bunny stuffing
• "Adventures of My Bunny" notepad and pencil set

Explorer Kit Includes

• Vintage-style flashlight
• Magnifying glass
• Metal compass
• String with knot guide
• Notebook and pencil

Sewing Kit Includes

• Scissors and seam ripper
• Pins, needles, and safety pins
• Tape measure
• Assorted thread reels and buttons
• Thimble

MY Ukulele Kit: Some Suggestions

As we all know, the "My Ukulele" build-it-yourself kit from WHY Louisville is pretty awesome. It's got all the pieces you need to build your very own ukulele with basic hand tools and minimum of woodworking skill. But the best part? It comes unfinished, so you can turn it into a work of art!

Are you having trouble deciding exactly what to do with your blank ukulele canvas? Allow us to give you a few crudely illustrated ideas for inspiration:



A lovely luau scene. Its loveliness will make your audience forget that you really don't know how to play the ukulele.



The Hawaii Governor's Seal. It's great for your ukulele if you happen to be the Hawaiian governor, or are an especially big fan of the Hawaiian gubernatorial process.



That fat guy from Lost. Just because everyone's favorite show is over, doesn't mean we have to see less Hurley. If you think you've got the artistic chops, slap his mug on your ukulele!

I Heart Kentucky Silver Necklace

Our new I Heart Kentucky silver necklace is an elegant ornament brimming with love for the Bluegrass State. It's also a pretty accurate depiction of what things would look like if a giant heart-shaped meteor were to plow into the Earth, creating a crater filled with love on the outskirts of Frankfort.

The .999 pure silver Kentucky charm is made from PMC (Precious Metal Clay) and hangs from a 16" sterling silver chain. Charm measures 1.5" wide. Each necklace is a unique, handmade piece.

A Twisted Way to Cool Your Drink

Brain Freeze and Cold Blooded ice cube trays are a (relatively) socially acceptable way to live out your deepest, sickest fantasies of being a vampire and/or mad scientist. As a fringe benefit, they really keep your summertime cool-down drinks ice cold.

9th Annual Lebowski Fest

The 9th Annual Lebowski Fest is coming up fast, and tickets are on sale now at WHY Louisville. This year's festival will feature music from The Felice Brothers and Thomas A. Minor and the Picket Line, in addition to the normal bowling, costumes, contests, and what-have-you we all know and love. Stop in soon to get the limited Achievers Weekend Pass to experience the whole shebang for a dicounted price. Better hurry, though, 'cause those suckers go fast!

Check out the Lebowski Fest website for, uh, more information, man.

Don't worry, WHY Louisville has a lot of Lebowski-related goods on hand to tide you over until the festival. Check out our selection of Lebowski Fest quote stickers, Lebowski tees, and an awesome limited edition "Nice Marmot" print by Jay Ryan.

High Art

Works of art don't normally spend their time soaring dozens of feet above our heads, but the creative folks at Noted LLC have found a way to allow--nay, encourage--that sort of behavior. The "High Art" kite series includes the "Little Winged Demon" kite by Jan Kallwejt and the "Sky DuckWorm" kite by Julian Pablo Manzelli. Both kites are now available at WHY Louisville for $11.99. Kites measure 24" wide by 28" long and are made from durable nylon fabric. Easy assembly and flight instructions are included.

2 Carat Mug

"Aw, honey! What a thoughtful Mother's Day gift! It's... a giant gaudy ring! In an unusually large box. You shouldn't have, dear. You really, really shouldn't have. Thank you...?"

"Shucks, Mom. You're not even gonna open the rest of the curiously large box? More Mother's Day surprises await!"

"There's more? Well, let's see here... Oh, my heavens! It's not a gaudy ring at all, but a beautifully crafted porcelain mug! What a nice surprise! Good thing, too, 'cause that ring is ugly as sin. There's no way I'd be able to show my face at the bridge club wearing something like that. I'll get the coffee brewing this instant!"

Momma's Mug

Sure, you could go to some other gift store and get a mug that has just one nickname for your mom. But why limit her to a measly "World's #1 Mom"? She's so much more than that. Why not get her a Mother's Day mug that more accurately documents her greatness, like this one from Rock Paper Scissor?

Measures 3" in diameter by 3 3/4" tall. Dishwasher and microwave safe.

Last Minute Steamboat Race Prep

Quick! There's still time to stop by WHY Louisville and pick up a Steamboat tee for Mom and the kids before The Battle of the Belles! The boat boards at 4:45, though, so you better make like the Belle herself and be quick about it.

What better way to cheer on the home team than with a curiously soft tri-blend American Apparel tee with a bubbly, happy steamboat drifting lazily down the river? And if you happen to miss the race, you can always re-enact it. Just grab a steamboat shirt for you and a friend, head down to Riverfront Park, and start jogging.

Horseshoes from Head to Waist

It's not a bad idea to wrap yourself in some good luck charms before the big race on Saturday. Sure, the odds on your horse might be 99-1, but imagine the payoff! And those figures don't take into account the fact that you're wearing dozens of lucky horseshoes. You've got about 100 of them on your American Apparel tri-blend Horseshoe V-neck tee, and one beautifully crafted sterling silver horseshoe on your Lucky Horse necklace.

The bookmakers won't know what hit 'em!

Derby City Icons by Bill Green

Did you know there's a tiny mullet hidden in the Derby City Icons shirt designed by Bill Green? With men's and women's sizes available, you and the misses can don your Icons shirts and go mullet hunting together. How romantic.

Horse #2 Takes the Roses!

You could cut the tension with a knife! Watch as The Pink One trots her way into the finish line in our new electronic Desktop Derby Game.

One Mint Julep Ladies' Tee

Not only is it a classic tune made famous by Mr. Raymond Charles, "One Mint Julep" is a great thing to wear on your T-shirt if you're placing your order at the bar and you're pressed for time. Printed on soft 100% cotton American Apparel ladies' tees.

Flasks and Shots Belong Together

WHY Louisville provides the Fleur-de-Lis and Lincoln shot glasses and Fleur-de-Lis flasks. You'll have to provide your own stuff to put in them. (Luckily we're wedged between two of Bardstown Road's favorite liquor stores.)

Duuurrrrrbbbaaaaaayyyyyyy (*bUrp*)

Time to head on down to Thundar! Let's run through the check list and make sure I have everything I need:

• Warm cans of Circle K's cheapest beer: check
• A cassette single of Sammy Hagar's timeless protest anthem "I Can't Drive 55": check
• Economy pack of military grade fog horns: check
• Giant horse costume: ...

Oh, crap! I forgot the horse costume! There's no WAY Caufield's is gonna have any left on such short notice. Jeez, I'll look like such a FOOL down there wearing nothing but people clothes. I mean, maybe if I had a T-shirt with a picture of me drinking beer and wearing a giant horse costume while yelling "DDUUURRRBBBAAAYYYY", all my horse costumed buddies would at least be able to appreciate the subtle irony.

Better stop by WHY Louisville--chances are they have a T-shirt like that.

You did it!

After year upon grueling year of dedication and exhaustive training, you've finally made it! You've laughed in the face of adversity; you've made little work of the obstacles in your path. Your struggle and sacrifice have payed off now that you're standing atop a world class thoroughbred, jockey whip in hand, waiting anxiously for the starting gate to swing wide as the most important minute-and-a-half of your life lay before you...

Oh, you've never been a jockey in the Kentucky Derby? Seriously, why'd you let us go on and on with all that Eye of the Tiger crap? You could have said something. Oh, well. You're still a champion in our eyes. Here's a T-shirt!

Prepare Your Neck for Derby Season

With Thunder Over Louisville still a few days away, we thought you might want to start gearing up for the Derby with something a little subtle. You wouldn't want to start wearing a full-on jockey uniform before the fireworks have even started, would you? How about wearing a real pretty sterling silver Lucky Horse Necklace instead.

Oh, I see. Not quite whimsical enough for you? Bam! Sterling silver Pegasus Necklace! Dripping with whimsy.

Kathleen Lolley Mechanical Owl T-shirt

The art of Kathleen Lolley isn't just for oil paintings and CD jackets. It also looks mighty fine on a T-shirt! Especially a soft American Apparel tri-blend V-neck T-shirt like this one. Superfans can even wear the Mechanical Owl V-neck to the opening of Kathleen Lolley's "Owl vs. Crow" solo show tomorrow at WHY Louisville.

Kathleen Lolley Prints

WHY Louisville is so pumped about "Owl vs. Crow", a solo art exhibit by Louisville's own Kathleen Lolley being hosted right here at 1583 Bardstown Road. The show will run from April 9 to May 9 and we're having an opening reception at 6:00pm on Friday, April 9. You're PERSONALLY invited to swing by the store and check out Kathleen's new, original work.

Not familiar with the work of Kathleen Lolley? Well, we happen to sell a bunch of her prints! Check out how awesome this stuff is:

• Left to Right:


• "Sea Owl"
• "Nice to Meet You"
• "Ocean Adventure"
• "Moon Ritual"
• "Little Podlings"
• "Gypsy Countess"
• "Bathing Beauty"
• "Surprise Friends"
• "Better Together"

Wayfarer, Chloe, and Bridget Sunglasses are back!

Wearing a pair of Wayfarers is like wearing the entire decade of the 1980s on your face. You instantly become Tom Cruise in Risky Business. You embody Don Henley's "Boys of Summer". Perhaps you'll wear your sunglasses at night. No matter how you choose to live in the past, you'll have a variety of color options in which to do it. And wayfarers with color block lenses are also available; what better way to bring the 1980s to your next bass fishing trip?

If Corey Feldman isn't really your cup of New Coke, we've also got a wide selection of color combinations in Chloe and Bridget style sunglasses to choose from. Heck! Sunglasses are only $12, so why not shade your face in all three styles? It's only gonna get brighter out there, you know.

WHY Louisville (2.0) Turns 1!

Happy birthday, 1583 Bardstown Road! Though we've been catering to the city's insatiable appetite for Fleur-de-Lis since 2005, WHY Louisville opened the doors to its current location in April 2009. A special thanks to all of our customers for supporting us this past year.

Care to take a stroll down Memory Boulevard? Check out some photo essays on the before, during, and after phases of our little move down the street.

New Prints by Pedale Design

Kentucky Bourbon

Cardinal

Indiana Sucks

As you may have guessed, Pedale Design is based in Louisville and is probably dang proud of it. Check out our ever-expanding art print selection to pick up these and dozens of other printed works.

(Hoosier friends take note: the opinions of Pedale Design do not necessarily reflect those of WHY Louisville or its staff, especially its staff with family ties to Indiana. Hi Grandma!)

"Baby we were..."

Thanks to generations of well planned and meticulous animal husbandry, these little guys were literally Born to Run. A whole stable of Kentucky thoroughbreds gallop in unison across your side parts like a team of synchronized swimmers. Printed on a heather grey cotton/polyester/rayon tri-blend V-neck tee and available in unisex sizes XXS through XL.

Where's Kentu... oh, there it is.

We've got a new shirt that turns you into a walking, talking elementary school geography class. The only lesson this particular class ever teaches is about where Kentucky is on a map of the continental United States. It's an easy A, really.

It's printed on a soft 50/50 cotton polyester American Apparel tee and is available in unisex sizes (XS through 2XL). Get yours in the store -or- shop online!

Hello, Hairy Gary!

Let's welcome Hairy Gary to the WHY Louisville product catalog. Anyone remember these guys from young times? Behold what can be done to Gary with only minutes of time and a modicum of skill:

(L-R) General Ambrose Burnside, Hairy Gary

(L-R) Yours Truly, Hairy Gary

See what you can do with your own Hairy Gary. They're only $4.99 at WHY Louisville!