Dirty Coast — Local services in New Orleans

Let me tell y’all about Dirty Coast, this badass little t-shirt outfit down in New Orleans. They kicked things off back in 2004 with a simple mission: make local gear that didn’t scream, “I got this at the airport gift shop.” You know, no jazz-playing crawfish or whatever. Just cool, authentic stuff that actually gets what NOLA’s all about.

Then Katrina hit, and it wasn’t just about selling shirts anymore. Dirty Coast became a whole damn vibe—a way for folks to say, “Yeah, this is my city, and we’re still here.”

Fast forward almost 20 years, and they’ve got 400+ designs that nail the weird, wild, and wonderful spirit of New Orleans. Wanna flex that you know what a neutral ground is? They’ve got you. Dirty Coast ain’t just slingin’ shirts; they’re bottling up the magic of NOLA so you can take it...

My very first purchase from Dirty Coast was a Bernie Sanders Mardi Gras t-shirt after the 2021 inauguration in his amazing pose, proceeds going to the local food bank. What I thought was odd was the email I got after asking how I had heard of the company. I live in a neighboring town, and I am not sure how many people they think didn't get that targeted ad January and February 2021.

I have known of this company and its dedication to lending a hand to the local community and being a locally owned company and have wanted to visit one of their shops. I mean. I can buy their stuff online, but I like to go in if I can. I had an opportunity on a Sunday. The employees working were very friendly and helpful. It is a small shop and no dedicated parking, but I really...

OK, so their merchandise is totally adorable. Great selection. Just bought my nephew a few NOLA t-shirts, a NOLA alphabet print, and a toy crawfish boil set. All very cute and very appropriately priced. But, more importantly, a few days after I placed that order and one day after a major hurricane hit the city, I got an email from the owner thanking me for my business, asking how I'd found out about the store (perhaps triggered by my NY-based billing address and CT-based shipping address - I'm NOLA-raised though), and wishing me well in the pandemic. Maybe they do that for everyone, maybe it was automated but, regardless, someone thought to do it. That kind of personal touch is what NOLA...