Dubuque Clothing Co. might have only recently launched as an official brand, but the idea behind it was a long time coming.

Graphic designer Adam Zalaznik and Matt Folstad, CEO of Dubuque screen printing company FGC Creative, met at a bar about eight years ago. It was an appropriate place for an initial meeting, Zalaznik said, given the extensive collection of throwback bar and restaurant shirts to come from the duo’s partnership.

Folstad, whose company mostly focused on nationally marketed band merchandise, said it was also around that time when somebody asked him to make a T-shirt for Rings, a Dodge Street restaurant that closed in the 1990s.

“(After that), we just looked into licensing and trademarks and the rules,” Folstad said. “Once we figured that out, Adam came in and we started (making more) throwback shirts.”

Even then, Folstad said, the idea for Dubuque Clothing Co. started as a “novelty thing” around the holidays.

“That’s when we came up with about half of the designs — two Christmases ago. Last Christmas, we did it again,” Folstad said. “We decided at the beginning of this year, maybe we just change the name of the whole business, or at least the local side … to Dubuque Clothing Co.”

Folstad and Zalaznik, both Dubuque residents, now have a brick-and-mortar location at 3224 Dodge St., Suite 15. They also started selling at Hartig Drug locations this summer — and it was Hartig’s idea.

“I saw (the) designs on social media and loved (them),” said Gretchen Steines, director of purchasing and merchandising at Hartig.

Steines said the nostalgic and local aspects to the clothing are “perfect” for Hartig’s customer base. She also said Zalaznik and Folstad have impressed her with their creativity.

“We’re always looking for additions to the line,” she said. “Dubuque Clothing (Co.) has been really good about trying new things.”

The company pays homage to Dubuque even with its logo — a fish fly.

“The fish fly logo … seemed to get people’s attention,” Zalaznik said. “Everybody’s disgusted with fish flies. (They’re) iconic … very Dubuque-ish.”

Old Dubuque businesses featured on Dubuque Clothing Co. shirts include Sandy’s, Peppermint Patties, Choo Choo Charlie’s, Cock ’n’ Bull and Easy Street, among several others.

Recent additions to the company’s lineup are more broadly Iowa-themed clothing, hunting and fishing apparel. Its merchandise also highlights some of Dubuque’s tourist attractions, such as Mines of Spain and Eagle Point Park, which Folstad said is the most popular design.

Zalaznik said the customer base leans toward older Dubuquers.

“Our stuff is nostalgia-based … so obviously it’s going to be an older crowd,” Zalaznik said.

However, Folstad said expanding beyond the throwback apparel has helped grow the company’s young customer base.

“The stuff that’s more touristy, like Eagle Point Park … that’s pretty much all ages,” Folstad said.

Zalaznik said the customer base is at least 70% female, although for now, products are generally unisex.

“We’re trying to do women’s apparel, but that’s another beast,” Zalaznik said. “Two older men don’t know exactly how to pick the … things women want.”

Dubuque Clothing Co. also has an option to help organizations with fundraising, at dbqclothing.com/page/fundraise-dubuque.

They design custom shirts, build and launch a website to help with sales and promotion, then print and deliver the shirts. The fundraiser receives 100% of campaign profits.

“There’s always somebody doing a fundraiser. We thought we’d provide that service,” Zalaznik said. “We help Dubuque, as well as push sales, at the same time.”

Zalaznik said goals of Dubuque Clothing Co. include growing by selling apparel in more stores and adding to its current staff of six.

He also hopes to grow the inventory, which is currently not keeping up with high demand, and expand the retail part of the brick-and-mortar store.

While FGC Creative is still largely focused on band merch, Folstad hopes to grow the local aspect of the company.

“We’d like to definitely increase our local presence,” Folstad said. “Anything Iowa and Dubuque related, we’ll do that.”

To him and Zalaznik, Dubuque Clothing Co. fulfills a dream that provides both with independence and a creative outlet.

“I’ve always been in the design world,” Zalaznik said. “(But) I realized I wanted to do my own thing.”