Swagbot: Downtown Biz's Im-press-ive Origins

(Springfield, MO) -- One of the most efficient ways to express yourself is through your t-shirt. But sometimes, a lot of designs just don't do the trick.

A business in downtown Springfield is trying to change that -- and its name is just as unique as the designs brought in.

If you're on Walnut Street in between Jefferson Avenue and South Street, don't be looking for a typical t-shirt shop, especially one with a common name.

"My reason was it was a 7-letter domain name available in 2006," recalls owner Shawn Matthews.

Well, that's one way to put it.

"My version is the word swag, which means merchandise and t-shirts," says owner Juli Matthews. "Mixed with bot -- such as robot -- and you put the two together and it's an automatic way of making t-shirts."

No matter the origin of the name, the origin of business is no argument.

"I literally had an iron from my grandma's house and we took it out on the road and it was the proof of concept," says Shawn.

"And people are able to have shirts that no one else has," says Juli.

That was the way they did business and like a success wardrobe, they had the location to match.

"We basically started in the basement of a house with one or two clients and grew slowly but surely over the past five years," says Juli. "It's so exciting to hear someone's idea. And then they get excited when they discover they can do a shirt for the cost we do it at."

And the customer can design their own shirts. Whether by themselves, or in a group.

"We can do only one shirt," says Shawn. "We don't need large orders. Just orders of maybe six to eight shirts."

"You are unified but you still stand out and you're your own person," says Juli.

And in comes the individual style that certainly can not be overlooked.

"Creating something in your brain and putting it on a shirt that you can wear everyday, day in and day out," say Juli.

Just make sure you get it washed!

Custom t-shirts start at $22 and there is no limit on the amount of t-shirts ordered.

More information: http://www.swagbot.com