I’m Jeremy Symons, Founder & Creative Director of Yooper Shirts.
What began in December 2009 as a small online shop at YooperShirts.com has grown into one of the Upper Peninsula’s most recognized cultural brands. Early designs like the “sUPernatural,” “Yooper Icon,” and “U.P. HEART” struck a chord with people, proving that design could capture identity and pride in place.
After a year and a half online, I opened the first retail shop in West Ishpeming before moving closer to town in partnership with the Ishpeming/Negaunee Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, I invested in our first screen printing equipment, hired my first full-time employee, and expanded into custom graphic design, screen printing, and embroidery services. That decision, bringing production in-house, became the foundation for everything we do today.
On September 6, 2013 (9.06), we cut the ribbon on a new retail and production space in downtown Ishpeming’s historic Gossard Building. From the exposed brick to the refinished floors, we built a shop that combined a high-end feel with small-town grit. Four years later, an even bigger opportunity arrived: on February 10, 2017, we purchased our current retail location at 503 N. Third Street in downtown Marquette. After four months of renovations, we opened the doors in May 2017, converting the Ishpeming retail space into a full-time production facility to meet growing demand.
By late 2018, it was clear we had outgrown that space too. On December 14, 2018, we purchased a 6,000 sq. ft. building in Ishpeming—formerly the UPPCO offices—to serve as our new production hub. By February 2019, we were fully operational, streamlining our workflow and giving our team the room to grow.
Today, Yooper Shirts is more than apparel, it’s cultural identity built through design. As Founder and Creative Director, my role has always been to translate the spirit of the U.P. into gear that people wear with pride. I’ve been a designer since 1998, and for nearly 16 years I’ve poured that creative vision into this company while also leading other ventures like Ambitious Supply Co. (Palm Springs-based creative apparel studio), Roundballin (basketball culture brand), and Mtn View PS (vacation rental + design project).
At its core, Yooper Shirts is proof that design isn’t decoration—it’s infrastructure for growth. It creates jobs, fuels community pride, and connects people everywhere back to this place we call home.
— Jeremy Symons
Founder / Creative Director
Born & Raised in Ishpeming, Michigan
*The term "Yooper Shirts" is a registered trademark of Yooper Shirts, Inc. (United States Patent and Trademark Office)
