Intern Project

During my internship at JOYCE, myself and the copywriting intern, Aaron Christianson, were tasked with creating a merch line that embodied the pride Minnesotans have for their state. We developed a theme centered around the iconic midwestern supper club.

In the words of Aaron Christianson,

Winter is once again upon us. Which, in Minnesota, means delaying morning commutes to clear off icy windshields, attempting to figure out which side of the street you can safely park on and convincing others, and yourself, that the summer here makes it all worthwhile. Everybody gets one, though. One moment per winter of unfiltered clarity where they curse that which keeps them tethered to this tundra instead of the warmer pastures that they’ve dreamed of.

When we first started brainstorming for this collection, we made a list of everything that constructs the traditional Midwestern experience. We poured over the hundreds of words, phrases, and ideas and delved into their pockets of promise. We were searching for something larger than JOYCE. We were searching for unification. For an idea that people could gather under, have nostalgia for, and take ownership of. When we stumbled across a documentary about supper clubs, we knew we had found exactly what we were looking for. Supper clubs are a magical place. They’re timeless in both decor and ideology. They are places of gathering that persist despite not being the most luxurious or profitable. Supper clubs exist to provide people an escape from icy windshields, pesky parking tickets and intrusive thoughts of moving somewhere more equatorial.Welcome to JOYCE Supper Club: A place to gather. A place to feast. A place of equals. A place to show how you care for one another. A place for overwhelming and endless love. A place to be proud of. We love it here. We hope you do too.


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