Local man hopes 'Battle Creatures' shop draws a crowd

They live on the fringes and deep in the shadows, occupying a world most of us know but can't understand.

Unhappy, uncertain and unimpressed about a future in their hometown of Battle Creek, the term has found traction and meaning with the under 30 crowd.

They're known as "Battle Creatures."

And Justin Andert, a 30-year-old Battle Creek native, hopes to turn that phrase not only into a moneymaker, but into a rallying cry for the dispossessed and disappointed.

"A lot of youth has a sour taste in their mouths about there not being a lot to do in Battle Creek," he said. "There's a negative mindset about the area. My hope is to turn that connotation around a little bit."

And his first step comes this weekend when he opens a "pop-up shop" — a temporary retail space — in downtown Battle Creek to sell street wear with the tag "Battle Creatures."

While not common in downtown Battle Creek, Rob Peterson, director of downtown development for Battle Creek Unlimited, said they have made appearances before, including at the Cricket Club and inside Fancy Nancy's clothing store

"They're very popular with entrepreneurs." he said. "It gives them an opportunity to get the word out on their products without having a full-time lease. What they're selling is only available for a limited time and they tend to be promoted through social media primarily."

Which is exactly the direction Andert is headed.

He has promoted the clothing — which include snapback hats, beanies, T-shirts and sweatpants embroidered with "Battle Creatures" on them — through his website battlecreatures.co as well as on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The shop will be located at 117 W. Michigan Ave., the site of the former Rogue Art Gallery. And there will be a launch party from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday where he will start selling his merchandise as well as photos he's taken of some off-the-beaten-path areas of Battle Creek.

The shop will then be open from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Then it will be gone.

"I thought it would be interesting to see how the community reacts to it," Andert said. "The plan is to make money to sustain future projects."

It's an unusual step for Andert, who went to Lakeview High School and graduated from Western Michigan University with a journalism degree.

He left Battle Creek for Minneapolis where he worked as a freelance writer and photographer and in the financial industry before returning home last summer. He had seen pop up shops all over the Twin Cities and was intrigued enough to try it here.

Andert ordered the merchandise from Adams Shirt Shack on Beadle Lake Road, which also did the embroidery. Andert said the sweatpants will sell for $30, the hats and T-shirts for $20 each and the beanies are $15. His inventory will consist of 50 of each item.

Whatever is left, he said he'll likely try to sell online. And if it goes well, he may try it again this year with an eye, perhaps, on opening a shop full time.

"The reaction so far has been very positive," he said. "The challenge is to connect with enough people to sustain it long term."

He has another challenge — finding enough folks to come downtown on a frigid winter weekend to check out his wares.

"It's a bit of a gamble," Andert said. "Hopefully, I'll be relying on the launch party."

Peterson didn't think it was a big gamble at all.

"We're Michiganders and we're a hardy bunch," he said. "But we're also always looking for things to do in the winter months."

Chuck Carlson is editor of Connections. Reach him at 966-0690. Follow him on Twitter: @ChuckCarlson4