59°
ARMONK, N.Y. No matter how old or grungy a T-shirt gets, it often carries vivid memories that makes it tough to throw away, say Andrew Dunn and Tanay Tewani, both two 22-year-olds from Armonk.
My dad always gets upset at me when I get new clothes because he thinks I have a world supply of clothes in my room, Dunn said. Especially when I get new T-shirts because I have a ton that are from all different aspects of my life. But I would never throw them away because theyre special to me.
That idea inspired Dunn and Tewani to create Tik Tak Tee. It's a mix between a picture frame and a pin board that is designed to showcase an old T-shirt on a wall or shelf. The two best friends and Byram Hills High School graduates worked over the past year to turn the idea into a product. After both graduated from college this past May, they went full steam ahead with the help of an entrepreneurship grant through Dunns school, the University of Pennsylvania.
They experienced many setbacks and failures, especially with building materials, before finding success by being resourceful, Dunn said.
We would talk to friends, family members, professors, even strangers and just ask them what they think of it, Dunn said. Some of the best ideas that we got were ones from outside our own minds.
The final product is a three-panel pin board inside a wooden frame large enough to fit three T-shirts. Other mementos such as ticket stubs or photos can also be posted.
With their first product completed and on sale for $39.99 on Etsy.com or pre-orders of various models at Tik Tak Tee, they now want to give help similar to what they received.
One of the things we want to focus on is giving back to that entrepreneurship community and mentoring other students like us, Dunn said. I think a lot of students, especially in the Byram Hills community, have the potential to be entrepreneurs, and we want to help those students realize that potential.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Armonk and receive free news updates.
