Side hustle to storefront: Lubbock business owners hope to inspire others

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A Lubbock couple hopes their story will provide some encouragement for aspiring business owners or those moving through the challenges of being one.

Jon and Lindsay Taylor worked hard to turn their side hustle into a bustling storefront in Central Lubbock.

Both of their businesses, Johnny Velvet Tee’s and Wallflower Beauty Parlor, can be found in the same building at 34th Street and Akron Ave.

Inside the screen printing and embroidery shop, hundreds of t-shirts can be printed an hour. There’s also an office space, complete with a coffee bar and sometimes concerts.

“People are, they’re like what is this place? And I’m like, I don’t really know. I just have an idea, and I think about it and I dream about it, and then I do it,” Jon said.

Jon’s first business venture was building a recording studio in his garage two decades ago. That led to a side hustle, making merch for bands right out of his home. Lindsay says what started in a back bedroom, quickly outgrew the growing family.

“By 2015, it had taken over the house almost entirely. Like we barely, we didn’t even watch TV in our living room. There were just boxes of t-shirts,” she said.

The growth in business led them to bigger machines and to a new rental shop to work from. Then, in 2020, they found a furniture store for sale on 34th Street.

“We spoke to the owners directly when we came in, and I think they kind of just saw themselves in us, like when they were starting out with their dreams,” Lindsay said. “They really helped us out a lot to get this building.”

It’s perfect for the couple, with wide open space for Johnny Velvet Tee’s screen printing and embroidery in the front. After working out of other salons, Lindsay now has her own in the back, with enough room for seven other stylists.

They wanted to create a relaxed office space for their employees, which eventually attracted the attention of a musician. It’s now the home of The Lubbock Listening Room, a ticketed live acoustic concert showcasing local artists. When it comes to new business ventures, Jon says they’ve learned what works through trying things out.

“You have to have the open mindedness and the bravery to do it and go with it. Like why not? It’ll work or it won’t work, but I like to try,” Jon said.

They say owning a business can often feel like a whirlwind of making decisions, problems, solutions, doors opening and more challenges.

“The ups and downs of owning a business are so extreme that I would say you, maybe sometimes yearly, you’re like, oh, can we do it? Like, I don’t know. Are we going to make it? But, as long as you’re not quitting, you’re building,” Lindsay said.

The next Lubbock Listening Room is June 21, with Joy Harris. Follow the Facebook page, and Johnny Velvet Tee’s for more information.

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