More Than Merch: Creating Community Through Experiences
The Relentless Merch Block Party started three years ago as an easy, lowkey way to ingratiate ourselves in the Havelock neighborhood and showcase our work. Since then, we’ve expanded the event from a small kickback with our friends and family to an event that brings hundreds of people around the city to the shop.
The block party is now one of the most important ways we establish our presence in the greater Lincoln area, and it works because people want to be connected through experiences. In an increasingly digital world, events like these give businesses an opportunity to build real relationships face-to-face.
Here’s how we brought things together, and what this process has taught us about building community:
Planning Ahead
We started planning the block party 2.5 months out. The goal? Showcase what we do and create a moment people want to be part of. For us, that looked like printing fresh designs, having drinks and snacks to offer, and setting up informal shop tours, raffles, and other activities.
From there, we fine tuned event details. Instead of centering the entire event around ourselves, we wanted the block party to feel collaborative and representative of the broader creative community in town. So we reached out to some of our favorite local businesses and nonprofits who were down to showcase their own work as vendors! Organizations like The Bay play a huge role in creating opportunities for young people and reinvesting in the local community, so they were a perfect fit for an event based around connection.
Relentless leaned on the help of our blank apparel providers, Lane Seven, S&S, and SanMar, who donated items for a series of raffles, and Kros Strain, who donated beer for our of-age patrons. And there were still plenty of activities for the kids! Thanks to our production team, we held an impromptu skating contest that kept people entertained throughout the evening.
What We Learned About Community-Driven Events
Small marketing touches can bring big rewards. Plenty of folks came to the block party because they spotted one of the few posters we placed around town, or they noticed the event banner outside our shop. Combined with a handful of social posts and word-of-mouth promotion, those simple touchpoints kept the event top of mind for several weeks until they actually attended.
Collaboration expands reach. Local partnerships introduced the block party to folks we may not have reached on our own, all while giving vendors additional exposure. Chances are there’s overlap between your audiences, and events like this one are a great way to bring those groups together in person.
And there’s no need to overproduce. Staying organized, getting community leaders to build the hype, and giving people opportunities to kick back goes a long way. People respond to things that feel genuine… It also doesn’t hurt to have a killer playlist blasting through some heavy JBL speakers either.
Creating Spaces People Return To
The block party brought hundreds of people through the shop and generated more than 100 signups for people interested in future events from Relentless. Most importantly, it gave us an opportunity to meet with people IRL. We’re so grateful to everyone who took a chance on a random Thursday evening and stopped by, because it means people are hungry for connection in an increasingly digital world – and we want to be a part of creating those spaces!
Events like this also reinforce the idea that strong businesses are built through relationships just as much as quality products or services. People remember experiences. They remember conversations, music, energy, and the feeling of being welcomed into a new space.
That’s why we’ll keep hosting events like this one. We want Relentless to be a print shop, but also a place that people feel connected to for life.
