We’re kicking off this series with Andrew Chang, Founder of Orlando’s very own Swan City t-shirt line. We sat down with him to ask a few questions about how Swan City got its start, what’s on the bucketlist, and his real feelings about swans (if they’re anything like the Lake Eola ones, they’re not ALL nice). Read on below.  

Tell us about Swan City.

Swan City was born out of my love for all things Orlando, sprinkled with a dash of my snarky personality. I work in corporate healthcare and had been fighting an urge to pursue this creative side of me that I normally do not have time for. I started out making designs at night, sharing my ideas with friends and family and slowly realized this was something Orlando might enjoy.

The brand exists to give City Beautiful locals the pride they deserve in shirt form (and soon more!). Since launching in August of last year we have been given so much love – thank you Orlando!

Tell us about your love of Orlando.

I honestly used to disown Orlando and would say that I would move out of this place asap but at some point, something shifted. I am now a diehard fan of Orlando. The community is the best, the food scene is growing, the performing arts center is incredible, and we are still a small town in a big city…I love that.

What would you like to see change? 

Living in Thornton Park and the downtown area I see how rampant our homeless issue is. I wish we did an even better job of taking care of those individuals.

My favorite Orlando spot?

If I say Lake Eola is it too cheesy? It is ground zero in my mind for what Orlando is. I remember as a kid riding in the swan boats and thought they were so freaking cool – so much so that I made a shirt dedicated to them. In my mind, the park just has it all and gives me such a sense of appreciation for what we get to enjoy as locals in Orlando.

Back to Swan City – your favorite design?

If I had to choose it would have to be the 8-Bit Eola design. I second guessed it so much and now it is one of the top sellers. We also converted it for Pride and created the 8-Bit Eola Pride Edition. 

Your plans for the future?

Big plans actually! Swan City is currently online-only but will be participating in pop-up events all over very soon (we actually just did a pop-up for the Thornton Park Wine Walk). From there we are looking to expand beyond shirts and give Orlando folks more opportunities to display their pride – from coasters and posters to notebooks and mugs.

Swan City’s bucket list?

One day I’d love to have a Swan City brick-and-mortar somewhere downtown, preferably in the upcoming Creative Village or Thornton Park area.

True or false: You like swans. (or do they scare the crap out of you too?!) 

False – I LOVE swans. My business card even says I’m a ‘Swan Enthusiast’. While they can be a little intimidating, I still want to hug them!

On to the important stuff:  

You can find us at www.SwanCityOrlando.com or follow us on social @SwanCityOrlando. We partner with Orlando Shirts to keep everything about our business local while supporting local!

What do you enjoy most about Pulptown?

I enjoy waking up every morning to fresh squeezed news that I honestly care about. It isn’t this watered down news coverage that doesn’t pertain to me or what I like. It’s curated, gives me a slice of the happenings and is a fun read!

5 Local Instagram Accounts that are a must-follow:

@OrlandoShirts since they are our amazing partners in the shirt biz
@TownieTourist for Jenny’s always on point coverage of Orlando happenings
@TheShittyBeautiful her punny hashtags and neighborhood Toilet Tours
@LemonHearted for her relatable posts and killer marketing tips
@ChrisCarrFineArtPhotography for his puddle reflections that give us life

One thing most people don’t know about you

… I once danced on stage with Britney Spears. #NoRegrets!

Know someone who belongs on this list? Send them our way! Drop us a line at katie@pulp.town! 

Every Sunday, we spend some time updating our Pulptown playlist on Spotify. You can (and should) give it a listen here. We promise to keep you in good spirits on this fine Monday.

Won’t You be my Neighbor? There’s a new website in town. Well, not new, but this Orlando-based site just released a new list (read: quiz) that could help Orlandoans, current and future, determine which neighborhood best suits their needs. This isn’t the first time the company has made the news for its map-making, as it has previously released findings for shark attacks in Florida and where to find the most single people in the area. (Bungalower)

A blue jacket salute. Just this past weekend a new statue was unveiled, this time in Baldwin Park at Blue Jacket Park to commemorate and honor those women who served at the navy base before it was transformed to what it’s known as today – Baldwin Park. The bronze statue, also known as The Blue Jacket Recruit, is of a woman sailor wearing dress blues at a boot-camp graduation holding a saber, further depicting her rank in the company. This statue was built to honor the 188,000 female recruits who graduated from the nation’s first co-ed boot camp throughout its 30 years in operation. The naval base was closed in 1995. (Orlando Sentinel)

Let’s be Frank. Although the Magic were able to pull out a win in their final home game of the season last week, they were a little too late to save the job of head coach Frank Vogel (the fourth head coach in four years). There’s a more lengthy article on the crash and burn of the Orlando Magic that you can find here, but if you’re anything like us, you’ll give it a glance over and remain tried and true Magic fans, hopeful still long after everyone else has left you. (Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly)

Something new. These days, if you’re in the food and beverage industry and aren’t offering a secret menu, you’re leagues behind. Wawa just joined the masses by offering their own, giving access to all things birthday cake. This menu will stay the same until May 9th, then there will be ch-ch-ch-changes. (Orlando Weekly)

Disney for President! In a recent interview with Vogue Magazine, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that he was entertaining the idea of participating in the 2020 presidential election, and it wasn’t the first time that he’s thought about it. “The thought I had was coming from the patriot in me, growing up at a time when we respected our politicians not only for what they stood for but because of what they accomplished. I am horrified at the state of politics in America today, and I will throw stones in multiple directions.” (Orlando Weekly)

Ultimate headache? Before you get on the road today, you might want to take a look at the road changes happening around your commute. For starters, the eastbound ramp to I4 from Colonial is closed through tomorrow. However, the westbound I4 exit will remain unchanged. Also, ICYMI last week, there’s a new eastbound exit off I4 for Fairbanks Avenue. (WFTV, My News 13)

One last thing.

If you’ve been following along for the last few weeks, then you already know that Pulptown is in the process of interviewing for a Sales Manager, but that interview process will close this Friday. If you know of anyone, point them in our direction. If it’s you, even better.

Also, coming soon to a newsletter near you – another kickass job opening.

HIT US UP and send an email to hello@pulp.town.