Our Story

We’re Robert and Lauren — partners in life, parenting, and now, business. We’re hikers, travelers, night-owls, and firepit philosophers. We believe in the healing power of long walks, cold drinks, and a shirt that feels just right. Tavern and Trail was born from that mix of trail dust and bar napkins — equal parts adventure and absurdity. What started as a simple idea to create better graphic tees has become a growing small business we’re proud to call our own.

Here’s how it all got started:

A Spontaneous First Date to Iceland


In early 2014, what was supposed to be coffee turned into a two-week trip to Reykjavík — outrunning blizzards, exploring glaciers, and bar-hopping our way across the island. That trip sparked our love of travel, storytelling, and each other. Our story, and Tavern and Trail began there.

Miles Hiked, Drinks Shared, Memories Made

Three kids and a decade plus later, our boots and backpacks have seen a lot of miles — and so have our cooler bags. From Big Bend to the Rockies, some of our favorite memories were made at the end of the trail: boots off, beer in hand, stars overhead. That spirit still fuels every design we create.

First Tees in the Wild

The first shirts we ever made came with us on a trip to Alaska. We wore them hiking, fishing, and grabbing drinks in local bars and breweries. People kept asking where they could get one. That’s when we realized: maybe this wasn’t just for us.

A Table, a Stack of Shirts, and a Big Idea

We officially formed Tavern and Trail, LLC in 2022. Two years of starts, stops, and hard lessons later, we set up our first pop-up shop in San Antonio — just a table, some shirts hanging from paracord, and a lot of hope. We were nervous. We were excited. And we sold out of our best design by lunch.

That day confirmed what we’d always believed: people are looking for gear that’s rugged, funny, comfortable, and real.

Still Proud to Serve!

Today, we’re proud to be a Texas Veteran Commission Certified Veteran-Owned Small Business — a title that reflects both our service and our values. That sense of duty and integrity shows up in everything we do, from how we treat our customers to how we craft our gear.

We print all of our shirts right here in the USA, using high-quality, ethically sourced blanks made in the U.S. and Central America. And we still design them the way we always have — with trail dust on our boots and a cold drink within reach.

Thank you for supporting a veteran-owned business that believes in craftsmanship, character, and damn good t-shirts.

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Trail-Tested Favorites

Rugged. Comfy. Kinda Legendary.

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Our Newest Designs

Check out what we've been working on lately...

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