Dixxon Flannel Co. is getting “knee deep” in musical partnerships.
The Tempe-based clothing company has produced its third set of flannel shirts for the Zac Brown Band. The merchandise is available at the Venetian Resort as the band is playing next door at Las Vegas’ Sphere in January.
READ MORE: Here’s why the Arizona economy is poised to accelerate
LOCAL NEWS: Want more stories like this? Get our free newsletter here
The limited-edition flannels celebrate the band’s latest album, “Love & Fear” and its Sphere performances.
Dixxon was founded in 2013 by Danny Dreyer, also known as Danny Dixxon, while he worked at a motorcycle shop in Irvine, California, with his father.
“He was just looking for a way to make an extra few bucks while working at the shop,” said Dreyer’s brother-in-law, chief operating officer Chris Vallely.
“He noticed that people were coming in to get their bikes serviced, but they wouldn’t buy anything. They would buy handlebars once, or a new exhaust system or air filter.”
Vallely said Dreyer noticed the popularity of flannel shirts, which in general, wrinkle, shrink nor fade. He imagined selling two to three flannels per week, but the shirts must be made of “good flannel.” He found the “world’s best flannel.”
“Our flannels don’t shrink. They don’t wrinkle. They don’t fade,” which, Vallely added, start at $49.99. The company hasn’t raised prices in 13 years.
Dreyer designed shirts to appeal to entertainment and alternative sports fans, according to Vallely. He offers Dixxon Flannel merchandise, too.
“It started out very, very humble,” he said. “He was selling it at swap meets in Southern California. He quickly realized it’s hard to do business there because everything is so expensive. He decided to move to Arizona, where he had family.”
Dreyer landed a job at a Valley Harley-Davidson and made his way to service manager at the Scottsdale location. He began selling flannels on his lunch break, Vallely recalled. In November 2014, he moved into a small facility off Clark Street in Tempe. The business grew, allowing a move into its current building at 7200 S. Priest Drive in Tempe. It also houses a retail store.
“Our mantra is ‘classics redefined,’” he said. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel of anything. We’re just taking what we think are classic staple pieces and making them better. We’re fixing problems that we found in others’ flannels.” The shirts have hidden collar stays.
In Flames, Three Days Grace, Metallica and Shinedown are among the others who sold Dixxon Flannel’s shirts on tour.
“We have limited drops,” he said. “Once they sell out, you can’t get it again. Brown likes tans, country-western vibes. They performed really well and sold out quickly.”
Brown preferred short-sleeved shirts, so Dixxon Flannel designed items as such.
“We were looking to curate an exclusive product to sell at the Venetian,” he said.
“He asked us to design something based on the event poster. So, the plaid is mostly black and gray with hints of red and orange, which is basically a nod to the event poster and his new album, ‘Love & Fear.’”
Vallely said the company enjoys making “really cool products” and working with folks it admires.
“That’s the best part of my job,” he said. “We get to work with like-minded people who, in many ways, are more creative than we are. We learn from them, and it helps our business. Dixxon does things our way and a lot of times they don’t make the most financial sense in the short term. That really doesn’t matter to us.”
Dixxon Flannel’s team creates apparel that is “outside of the box.” The staff listens to anyone who wants to offer advice for creatives.
“We learn something from everybody — whether that’s a mentee or an entry-level employee, basically from the CEO down to the janitor. They can provide insights that you probably aren’t going to see in our position. We just continue to keep our eyes and ears open.
“That’s what has helped me. We will continue to grow Dixxon, build it, and, hopefully, make flannels that everyone loves and wants to collect and wear. That’s really what we’re looking for.”
Dixxon Flannel and its retail shop are located at 7200 S. Priest Drive in Tempe. For more information, visit dixxon.com.
