Welcome to Friday Fives, Vol. 275
This week we’re exploring Bass Pro Shop, uncovering founder resources, carrying oversized tumblers, snuggling up in a new sweatshirt, and getting punked by a steakhouse.
What Do Bass Pro Shops Know That We Don’t?
Bass Pro Shoppers, you may need to reel us in — because we’ve got thoughts. First of all, the 32-story pyramid store in Memphis. We can’t tell if this is chaotic good or chaotic evil. Second, the proliferation of new Bass Pro Shop stores. We thought brick-and-mortar was dead? Fish bros and outdoor enthusiasts have tapped into something storefronts have long been missing: department store nostalgia. No sparsely stocked aisles or half-staffed checkouts are in sight at the Pros — it’s bringing back all-afternoon destination vibes. Walk, sit, eat, and enjoy. Retailers, take note…or better yet, set up tent.
Building a startup from scratch is hard. Really hard. So some kind people at Awesome People Ventures built this incredibly handy resource to help with all of your founder questions — no matter how niche (yes, we did throw it some very oddball questions). The chat uses machine learning to help navigate useful content from thousands of vetted resources. Basically, it’s your advisor, mentor, lawyer, best friend, therapist, and career coach all folded into one easy-to-use website. You can thank us later.
How Stanley Quenched Our Content Thirst
Chances are your favorite influencer is who convinced you to buy this kinda cute, kinda ugly Stanley tumbler. But for most of us born during a certain era, the name and logo still give flashbacks to Dad’s old work thermos. The brand’s latest refresh for a younger, social-driven demographic has picked up major steam, racking up over 430 million TikTok views and hitting the big screen. So how did the 110-year-old brand gain status as summer’s internet darling? Let’s just say they’ve finally moved away from rugged masculinity and welcomed in the hydrated girly.
Fashion Meets Pharma: The Ultimate Mood-Boosting Hoodies
Eileen Kelly, an influencer and sex blogger, is helping change attitudes about mental health with her blog, podcast, and a sweatshirt line labeled with “Lexapro,” “Prozac” and “Zoloft.” The sweatshirts sold out in a matter of minutes, and other brands are following suit. It’s interesting to see how brands are capitalizing off of the topic, but it’s also a testament to the fact that mental health is becoming a part of daily conversation. After all, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2021 nearly 1 in 4 adults (23.2%) received mental health treatment — a 12.5% increase from 2019. Moreover, struggling with mental health is a shared experience now too commonplace to ignore. What we couldn’t agree with more, and as Kelly notes, reclaiming your mental health in a public, casual way not only destigmatizes it but makes you feel less alone.
The Tastiest Steakhouse You’ve Never Heard Of
What started as a joke between friends posting funny steak reviews on Google turned into a highly sought-after reservation at Mehran’s Steakhouse. After accruing a 900-person waitlist from their fictitious website, they enlisted 60 friends as staff and surveyed the operations of STK and &Son to produce a one-night event in the East Village. Many customers had no idea they were being pranked as the night was complete with a staged engagement, a fake crowd waiting for Drake, and a menu inspired by a cow’s life cycle. Though reactions to food were mixed, this elaborate stunt goes to show that you really can accomplish anything if you have enough friends.
We are so excited to see that Sanzo was featured in a beverage industry deep dive, Girl Scouts announced the launch of three new mental wellness patches, and Emilia George was recognized for
