Meet Joe Johnson, Cubs fan behind Obvious Shirts | Business

CHICAGO — Nestled beneath the Red Line in the shadows of Wrigley Field, an inconspicuous house blends into the Wrigleyville neighborhood.

Concrete steps in the backyard lead down to the basement entrance where more than 8,000 T-shirts fill the room, stacked in columns that embody organized chaos. What began with a one-off T-shirt creation worn to a Chicago Cubs game six years ago developed into a thriving company. Known for witty one-liners, Obvious Shirts has become a favorite of Cubs players, coaches and fans.

Joe Johnson, 32, has been a one-man show behind the scenes of the business he founded.

Johnson, an Indiana native and lifelong Cubs fan, works 70 to 80 hours a week to run Obvious Shirts with the help of his girlfriend, Grace Jones. Every day includes checking emails from customers, fulfilling Obvious Shirts orders, packaging shipments, running the company’s social media account and ensuring the site is running…

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