Living in the "State of Hockey," we have no shortage of hockey fans here in Minnesota. After having no luck finding hockey themed clothing for their family, Kelly and Jose Meza started GoodWood Hockey. They wanted to share their family's love of the game by creating high quality apparel to showcase your hockey pride.
Who are you and what do you do?
We are GoodWood Hockey (I’m Kelly) and we create and manufacture hockey-inspired casual apparel.
What’s the latest thing you’ve been working on?
We are really excited to launch a new line of shirts that focus on different hockey states across the US and Canada. It will be great to get these and our other shirts into retail outlets in different regions of the US and Canada.
Will you be featuring any special holiday items?
We have 2 different holiday shirts available this year. The “Happy Hockey Days” shirts will be sold all season long on www.goodwoodhockey.com as well as the Minneapolis Gift & Art Expo. We will also have exclusive holiday sale items and a fun free gift at the Expo!
What do your customers love most about your products?
The high quality and feel of the garments and the thought that we put behind the designs are what we hear the most often. It was really important to us not just to make graphic T shirt, but to make sure that we used socially responsible garment manufacturers and that the shirts had a great feel to them. We like to say that we won’t sell a garment to your family until it has been worn and approved by ours.
What’s your favorite item that you sell?
It is so hard to pick just one! The Ice Cleaner shirt has a special place in my heart because my sister, who is a Florida based artist, hand sketched the Zamboni that is printed on the shirt. All of our designs are one-of-a-kind, however the Ice Cleaner is truly a piece of hand made art!
How did you get started in your business?
I was holiday shopping for hockey T shirts for my kids and a little frustrated with the lack of variety out there. I ordered a few things and when they arrived, the quality was low and the options, especially for girls, were really boxy. My husband casually suggested that I start my own company. Two years later, here we are. The only hockey apparel company out there to offer original designs for everyone in the family!
What do you think sets your designs apart from others?
We work hard to create unique designs that cater to multiple demographics. We work with all different genders and ages to create designs that are thoughtful toward all types of hockey-lovers and their family members. We love hearing customer feedback and design ideas!
How does the city you live in influence your work?
Living in the “State of Hockey” has an obvious influence on our company. Living in the Twin Cities drives a lot of our ideas as our customers, and even just the hockey culture here, are at the core of our business and inspiration.
What are some inspirations for your work?
Our biggest inspirations are our own kids! We also feature several designs each year in which we donate a portion of the profits to a featured charity. Right now, our Live.Love.Hockey. design is helping provide clean water to those in need through the global organization charity:water.
Where did your business name come from?
“Good wood” is a hockey term used to describe solid contact with the puck on the ice. My husband was very enthusiastic about naming our company GoodWood Hockey, and it works on many levels. It resonates with those in the hockey community who are familiar with the term. Through GoodWood Hockey, we want to provide high quality products, and getting “good wood” on the puck usually results in a high-quality shot. Additionally, it works well with our mission to do good in the community through our “Hockey for Good” program.
Check out more of GoodWood Hockey's designs online, and be sure to stop by their booth at the Minneapolis Gift & Art Expo, November 3-5, 2017 at the Minneapolis Convention Center!