The search for the perfect t-shirt

Custom-made clothing, not corned beef, is what you’ll find at The T-Shirt Deli in Bucktown

By Kristen Salamon

As college students, young professionals, aspiring artists and sports fanatics, we all have that one t-shirt that fits perfectly. It is worn in from hundreds of wears. It bears the perfect image, slogan or color. It is the perfect t-shirt.

In a city as eclectic as Chicago, it is not difficult to find t-shirts that easily rate high on the perfect scale. But for some, the one shirt that can sum up who we are doesn’t seem to exist. Who we are rests in our friendships: the inside jokes, funny pictures, dirty looks and glaring triumphs. These t-shirts rest in Bucktown, at a tiny store known as The T-Shirt Deli.

The storefront shop at 1739 North Damen is easy to miss among the many boutiques that fill the Bucktown and Wicker Park neighborhoods. Indeed, you may mistake it for an actual deli, as the windows are lined with what looks like sausages. Upon closer inspection, they are actually t-shirts wrapped in netting.

This deli-style t-shirt shop opened in November of 2003 and has since been catering to locals looking for gag gifts, baby gifts, engagement and wedding presents as well as customers in search of the perfect Halloween costume.
“The occasion gifts like birthdays, weddings and babies are really common,” manager Hillary Pasek said. “Awhile back, we made a bunch of shirts for an awkward t-shirt party. I wasn’t sure what an awkward t-shirt was. Turns out it is just a shirt trying to shock somebody or be funny.”

Perusing the books lined up on countertops in the middle of the store, one can get a taste of the types of t-shirts which do just that. Images range from popular cartoon figures and flower decals to skulls and motorcycles. There are also books that include images of shirts created by previous customers. Not all of them make sense and some require explaining, proving that a t-shirt can be worth a thousand words.

How much cash the perfect t-shirt is worth can be a difficult question. One must take into account the number of times the shirt will be worn, the number of times compliments are received and the unfailing level of comfort felt while wearing it. At The T-Shirt Deli, the price of the perfect tee may raise some eyebrows.

The shirts themselves are American Apparel, which average about $15 in American Apparel stores and go for about the same at the deli. From there, each letter tacks on an additional dollar, and each image means another nine. So if the message is long, those letters start to add up. For example, on my trip to the deli, I purchased a standard women’s short-sleeve t-shirt with a decal of a guitar with the words “Girls rock too” printed on it. Not including the shirt, that adds up to $22. Including the shirt, it’s $37.

Don’t get me wrong, the shirt turned out great, and I will probably wear it out quickly. But I can buy a comfortable t-shirt with a similar message on it at another store for at least $10 cheaper. So the question remains, how much is the perfect t-shirt worth? And for that matter, how much is the perfect sweatshirt, pair of underwear, baby bib and doggie tee worth?

For most people, the answer is priceless. But for young college students, aspiring artists and sports fanatics, close to $40 for a t-shirt cannot be a regular buy. However, for those gift opportunities, theme parties and holiday gatherings, just such a perfect shirt can make you the center of the festivities.

So if the perfect t-shirt is truly priceless, stop by The T-Shirt Deli. Take a look at the shirts lined up behind a glass deli counter with the sample fonts and colors on display. Place your order on what looks like a diner check and pass it over to the employee behind the counter.

If the deli is not too busy, the order will be made while you wait. When finished, you get the t-shirt wrapped up like a sub sandwich in paper and stuffed into a sack that looks like a doggie bag you would get at an Italian restaurant. Then take it home and indulge. Make it worthwhile. Make it the perfect t-shirt.

The T-Shirt Deli is located at 1739 N. Damen Avenue and online at www.tshirtdeli.com.

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