BE Style Profile: Boulder’s Andy Manz

So, every now and again, we write a blog post on a shirt that really caught our eye. Something that may be a bit extra unique and eye-catching. And so for this article, we are taking a close look at the shirt that Andy Manz created.

Andy is the founder and publisher of local magazine, Boulder Lifestyle. It’s a monthly publication that covers all things Boulder. He and his team have a knack for finding the stories and people that make Boulder so unique.

Ryan sat down with Andy recently to ask him about how he picked out his shirt:

1. Your shirt fabric has a bit of a nautical theme, can you give us a little insight into why you opted for this cloth?

I grew up on a lake in the mid-west, which had a very strong sailing community. Although we are short on lakes here in Colorado, this shirt reminds me of my roots, and a lot of good memories on the water.

2. Being in the magazine business, you’ve no doubt seen the Boulder area really grow up over the past 5 years – what do you think has been the biggest change?

Boulder has always been a hub for entrepreneurs, but it seems the roof has really blown off in the last three years. The creative ingenuity in this little bubble is quite remarkable. There are revolutionary minds living among us – and I certainly feel privileged to have a front row seat. You walk into Snooze for breakfast, or Boxcar Coffee on any given morning, and there they are.

3. I heard a rumor that spontaneous bluegrass jams can sometimes spring up on your porch. Tell us a little about that hobby.

I grew up a huge music fan. My mom played the guitar and piano growing up. We always had music on in the house as a kid. The drums were my first instrument in Junior High and High School. In my final year of college, I picked up the guitar and couldn’t put it down. I ended up skipping a lot of class that year, teaching myself guitar off the internet. After college, a buddy talked me into moving out to Vail (wasn’t a hard choice), and I had the good fortune of playing some weekly gigs at some of the ski bars after working on the mountain during the day. I love playing music in Colorado. You can bust out a B-side Grateful Dead song and everyone in the crowd knows it. One of my most memorable moments, was playing with Sean Kelly (The Samples) at the restaurant I co-founded back in Kansas City. It was for a friend’s bachelor party and there was a terrible snow storm that night. The only people there were part of our crew. Just 20 dudes and us jamming with Sean Kelly until about 4:00am. You can have Vegas, that’s my idea of a bachelor party!

4. You have a full house (including a newborn) and a busy magazine business to run, how do you stay on top of everything?!

Yes, indeed! We have four kids under the age of six, so things are pretty crazy. As with business, each stage has joy’s and challenges. I think the key to both is having a good supporting cast. My wife, Kate, is the rock of our family. Not only is she the creative director of three magazines, but she also is a full-time home maker. She definitely keeps me balanced, reminding me to enjoy the ride and not get too wrapped up in things that aren’t really of value. The world throws a lot of shiny distractions at us. In the same sense, the team we have assembled for Lifestyle Publications has really taken form. I am extremely grateful for the effort they put forth day in and day out.

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Like Andy Manz’s shirt? Check it out here in the BE store.

About Andy Manz’s Boulder Lifestyle magazine:

Boulder Lifestyle magazine is monthly publication that was created exclusively for and about the people that call Boulder home. The website maintains a comprehensive calendar of events and even offers a free digital subscription. Learn more about Andy Manz and Boulder Lifestyle Magazine here.

By the way, Andy’s dress shirt made an appearance on our article on how to stay cool in the summer, you can read it here.