AN INTERVIEW WITH NICK VOLD, OWNER & FOUNDER OF TOUR

As you know, I am a big supporter of small and local businesses. Which is why I was super excited to learn about my middle school friend Nick Vold starting up his own brand. Nick is an exceptionally talented and well rounded artist specializing in Fine Art, Graphic Design and Art Curation, which is why I knew I would be a fan of this new company. His personal website, as well as all of the links for his latest project will be included below. Without further ado, here are a few questions and a bit of info for you about TOUR. (Profile photo taken by Fernando Lopez).

How long has TOUR been in the works/in planning for?

TOUR has been a project of mine in planning for about half a year now. Our first collection has been out for a little over a month.

Have there been a lot of changes along the way from idea to actually creating products and starting your brand?

At the core value, there have not been a lot of changes from the initial ideas. The most unexpected aspect of the process has been my desire to release a larger variety of products than I originally planned to. I started this company to sell high quality graphic tees, and now I find myself wanting to make a variety of different products like hats, shorts, and fleece.

Has anything been difficult or problematic with starting your brand?

I would say the most difficult part of owning any brand is trying to cater to the general public. There are so many little details that people disagree on when it comes to the clothes they wear. That is why I only make products that I would actually wear, because I personally think once you compromise on that, you lose the significance and meaning behind what you are doing.

How would you describe TOUR?

I would describe TOUR as a high quality substitute to traditional American tourism merchandise. I believe in making graphic tees based on memories, experiences, and destinations, rather than oversaturated trends.

I would also describe TOUR as a creative outlet for my own personal life. I have been working as a freelance artist for a few years now, and felt a desire to diversify with different forms of artwork. This helps me avoid getting burnt out and tired of what I’m working on. It all comes down to making something that I love and can stand behind without compromising on quality.

I would rather make a small quantity of products at the highest quality I can achieve, than a large quantity of products at the lowest cost I can achieve.

What are a few things that inspire or motivate the idea behind the TOUR brand?

TOUR was created out of making things that I want to see in the world. Traveling the country and looking for novelty items throughout gift shops and gas stations has always been the main inspiration and motivation for TOUR. I was tired of not finding anything that I would actually want to wear. More often than not, whenever you do find merchandise on a road trip or vacation, the standards of the products are very low. This problem was the ah-ha moment in the inception of TOUR.

What has been some early feedback so far?

Feedback so far has been great! I did not expect so much initial support from friends and family, but I am very happy to see people liking it and wearing it. Now the goal is to find more customers and new supporters.

What is behind the name TOUR & where did that start?

TOUR was actually named after having the idea for the company. The actual name TOUR stems from tourism and the idea to make graphic tees that highlight places and experiences rather than branding. I am just lucky the name was available because I’m not sure if I could call it anything else. As soon as I made the first logo, TOUR felt so natural and like it had always existed, so I think that is a good sign.

Who do you envision as a supporter of TOUR? And off of that, if you could get a photo of anyone rocking Tour merch, who would it be?

I think if i had to choose what type of person was a supporter of TOUR, I would have to say I would want it to be someone that notices the quality of the products. I pride myself on only using American made graphic tees that are designed, manufactured, and printed locally. If anyone can notice and appreciate that, then I would want them to be a supporter.

As far as the photo goes, I am waiting for the day I see someone wearing TOUR that I have never met before. I couldn’t even imagine what that will feel like so I think that will be more significant than someone famous or something like that.

What is one goal you hope to accomplish with your brand?

I hope that TOUR is recognized for the higher standards of quality when it comes to the products. I hope that TOUR gains supporters that appreciate our tees being American made, because it is a much longer and difficult road trying to scale a business up in this direction. Another goal I hope to accomplish is to one day make all of our products locally or in house. I am not against outsourcing to different countries, I just have to ensure that the standards are met and that it is a product I can stand behind.