Raygun

Really funny designs, mostly modern typography driven and themed around both Iowa and the Midwest. I love their shirts, as they’re printed on a soft jersey by American Apparel.
Plus, Raygun has so much more than just t-​shirts! This is a great stop when looking for local flavor gifts. Their laugh out loud designs have also been made into magnets, window clings, coffee mugs, keychains, cork coasters, and loads more. I was sad to discover that some of these ancillary items are poorly printed or using extremely cheap materials, though. The magnets were extremely pixilated and several of the stickers look like they were smudged or bumped during the printing process. There definitely needs to be a higher level of quality control.
So long as you look your purchase over closely to make sure it printed well, this is a great place to add some local flavor to your home or to your non-​Iowan friends’ lives. Because there’s no better gift for your Minnesotan nephew than a onesie that says:
IOWA
75% vowels
100% awesome

I was really excited about this place. Really really. I looked at a bunch of the shirts online and planned a major spree, but my actual visit fell flat. I honestly don’t know where they found these employees. They literally could not have made me want to leave faster. From when I walked in and excitedly said «hi!» I was never acknowledged. That is, unless you count the complete stink eye I got every time I touched a shirt to finish reading it.
Hi, you work at a t-​shirt store. You will have to re-​fold some of the shirts sometimes. If you don’t want to do that, don’t fold them so half the text is cut off. Also, get over yourself. It’s not like you’re busy doing something else.
I considered just walking out but really wanted a shirt or two. I picked up one for M and one for myself and noticed that the heathering in my shirt had an odd spot. I asked the girl if they had another in my size and she lectured me about how it was part of the natural heathering process and not a stain. I never claimed it was a stain, I just wanted one that was one semi-​consistent color. She said it was the last one so I passed, and I wish I could have taken a video of her epic eyeroll. I’m amazed they managed to stay in their sockets.
I walked out feeling horrible– really not an experience you want at a gag t-​shirt store. I’m giving them 2 stars because the shirts are really quite funny– if you can order them online or go to the Des Moines store.

No reviews? Guess I’ll have to be the first.
I was excited when Raygun opened a shop in Iowa City. I had viewed their clever t-​shirts regularly online and was glad to have the chance to browse their whole collection in person on a more regular basis.
In addition to their t-​shirts, they also carry watches, jewelry, accessories, and other irony-​laden goods. It’s a great place to find a gift for someone that is hard to buy for.
Finally, I’m a fan because they will take customer ideas and turn them into shirts. They did this for me — If you ever see their A.C. Slater shirt, that was my idea — but they took it to the next level, and I was thrilled.
Definitely a cool place to check out downtown. Make an afternoon of it and stop in to the Soap Opera, Revival, Silver Spider, and grab lunch at Z’Mariks.