New Costa Mesa park-themed tees aim to tug on heartstrings of city lovers for good cause
Those who love Costa Mesa and don’t mind wearing their hearts on their sleeves now have a new way to express their affection — a collection of local park-themed T-shirts that has just been released under the banner “I Heart Costa Mesa.”
And the brain behind it all has a plan to place the new creations at the center of a campaign intended to bolster support for and awareness of local businesses, citizens and organizations doing good in the City of the Arts.
Dean Tompkins, owner of ThunderKing Coffee on 17th Street, released Thursday his Costa Mesa Park Series, which features original logos representing four city landmarks: Lions Park (aka Airplane Park), Fairview Park, TeWinkle Park and Moon Park.
Available through the multimedia platform iheartcostamesa.com, the series began with a single design paying homage to TeWinkle’s pond, where Tompkins fished as a child.
Although recreational fishing is now prohibited, the logo “TeWinkle Park Fishing Club” is targeted at residents who cast their first rods there. Interest in the inaugural design was strong.
“I put it out there, and it sold great,” he said. “So, I thought I’d make some other ones.”
Additional logos similarly reference fictional organizations associated with the parks and their features. The Airplane Park shirt is designed in a style reminiscent of the 1986 movie “Top Gun,” while the Fairview Park design boasts a “Camping Club.”
A T-shirt featuring a moonscape and a “Space Camp” at the city’s Moon Park hearkens to a 1.7-acre parcel known for a 30-foot cratered dome commemorating the July 20, 1969, moon landing.
“It’s just this cool place in Costa Mesa that’s an old-school park,” Tompkins, 43, said of the California Street playground.
Since assuming the mantle of “I Heart Costa Mesa” in October 2020 — after original founder Erin Huffstutter stepped away, citing pandemic difficulties — Tompkins has been brainstorming ways to use the brand to promote the community he, his parents and grandparents have called home.
He hopes to use funds raised from the sale of the shirts toward philanthropic acts.
“It’s not a write-off, it’s not a charity thing,” Tompkins said. “I feel like it’s just the old karma — I’m going to put it out there, and it’s going to come back good.”
In his endeavor to rebuild “I Heart Costa Mesa,” the local business owner has partnered with another native Costa Mesan and community enthusiast, local real estate agent Kendra Fisher.
The pair met as Fisher was hosting a citywide holiday lights competition in December. Tompkins reached out, wanting to interview her about it for the website.
“We had so many people in common. It’s funny our paths hadn’t crossed before,” said Fisher, 30.
The Realtor plans to use her local connections to find subjects whose stories may be featured on “I Heart Costa Mesa” and promote campaigns on social media. A one-time regional community leader for lululemon Athletica, Fisher has lots of ideas.
At lululemon, she handed out flowers at the DMV, placed stacks of quarters atop machines at a local laundromat and used gift cards to pay for café customers’ drinks.
“[Dean and I] were talking about how far those random acts of kindness go, not only for the business owners but for the customers who come in,” she said. “We’re just trying to find ways to do small acts like that.”
Fisher has no doubt people who live or used to live in Costa Mesa will have interest in shirts that remind them of cherished memories.
That’s exactly what inspired Robert Zika — who grew up with Tompkins and used to fish at TeWinkle Park — to purchase two shirts. He credited his early exploits catching big-mouth bass and bluegills for sparking a lifelong passion.
“Now, I’ve got a boat, and I go ocean fishing all the time. It just kind of stemmed from there,” said the 52-year-old Corona resident.
One of the shirts he plans to send to his old TeWinkle fishing buddy, Brandon Landis. The other he may wear … or not.
“I don’t know if maybe I should put it in a frame or something,” he said. “It’s pretty cool.”
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