We all love taking home a souvenir of our vacation, right?? I know it's not just my family or there wouldn't be so many nick-knack shops along the boardwalk!
While the kids go for key-chains and shark teeth necklaces the adults of my family usually pick up a t-shirt or a hoodie to take home.
After walking past a shop and seeing a paint splatter t-shirt on one of our first walks I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted a Virginia Beach paint splatter hoodie to take home ... and it had to be a zip-up! I always feel like I'm choking when I wear a regular hoodie. Sounds hard to find, right?
Yep, it was impossible! (Unless I wanted to pay almost $100 at one place) We walked the boardwalk going into every single clothing store until about 20th street. Our hotel was on 2nd street; that's a lot of walking! Everyone else came out with their souvenirs, and I thought it was a lost cause for me. I was sure I was going to come home disappointed. Then one of my nieces just had to pick up one last souvenir. Some friendship bracelets. They couldn't be just any friendship bracelets either. They had to be the ones she saw the other day at one specific store ... even though the ones found in other stores were identical!
Enter my saving grace!!
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| Image from Google Maps |
If you've been to Virginia Beach and walked the boardwalk you've likely either passed this little shop by or gone in and browsed. If you're planning a trip to Virginia Beach Ocean Style must be a stop!
Like I said, it's just a little shop and it's about midway between 9th and 10th streets. It has a small selection of clothing and nick-knacks to browse through but along the wall you'll find custom printing. This is the true gem of this store! I saw exactly the image I wanted on my hoodie hanging there, printed on a t-shirt.
Sadly, a browse through their zip-ups showed only one black hoodie in an XXL. Yes, it had to be black and no, I don't wear an XXL! So I asked about picking up a hoodie elsewhere and bringing it back for custom printing. No problem!
Great, now where to pick up a zip-up that was un-printed in a town where everything is emblazoned with Virginia Beach logos ... and on our last day too?? A trip to Walmart or Kmart just wasn't possible. Thankfully, a shop on this street had one they were willing to sell un-printed for a good price.
By this point it was our very last day, nighttime, and pouring down rain. However, I didn't care! I was finally getting what I wanted and I could go home happy.
Except, I couldn't get what I wanted. I take back what I said, the girl behind the counter might actually have been the true gem of this shop. I'm sad to say I never got her name, but she was an absolute sweetheart! She explained what I wanted wasn't possible, even going so far as to print a shirt to show me.
A little tweaking of my idea and I finally had something I didn't know I wanted but was so beyond happy with!!
Instead of getting this image on the front like I wanted, but would have looked horrible, I got it printed on the back. It sits just under where the hood lays and looks amazing!!
Virginia Beach is printed down one sleeve in this really cool scratched up print. It did go on slightly more purple than the bright pink it first looked, but still matches well so I don't mind at all!
And paint splatter on the front! I specifically asked for this but thought I was likely to get turned down but ... the girl (absolute sweetheart!) helping me handed over another of the Life's A Beach images and a pair of scissors and told me to cut out the splatter I wanted.
And then to top it all off she didn't charge me anything and refused the tip I tried giving her! She just wanted to see it on me she said. She did accept the hug I just had to give her though!
All told, I paid less than $20 for this gorgeous custom hoodie, and I really couldn't love it more!!
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