The Sota Caravan Origin Story

Hello there!

We at Sota clothing are so excited to be taking a new approach to selling our Minnesota inspired products. As many of you may have seen on our social media pages, Sota Clothing has launched a mobile pop-up shop in the form of a vintage trailer we are calling the Sota Caravan. Sota Clothing is a Minnesota lifestyle brand with a passion for connecting Minnesotans with products they can take pride in. For us, there was no better way to spread our Minnesota love than traveling throughout the Twin Cities in a way true to many Minnesota travelers.

Because we’re so pumped to be making this crazy idea a reality, we want to share with you how the Sota Caravan came to be.

It all started with us wanting to have a unique way to interact with the people that love our brand. Because we don’t have a brick and mortar location, the Sota Caravan is a great way for us to explore Minnesota and meet the people that rep our clothes. After deciding that a pop-up trailer was our best option, Spencer Johnson, the founder of Sota Clothing, fell in love with a completely gutted, 1972 Fleetwing Chickadee in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After making the trek to SD, Johnson brought the trailer back to his parents’ house in Eden Prairie to get started with the renovation. However, he couldn’t complete the renovation on his own. There were three important bros/dudes/guys/friends involved in the renovation of this trailer; Magnus, Darrin, and Tyler. With their help, Johnson cut a big hole into the side of the trailer that serves as the service window, they ripped out the rotted wood supporting the trailer, and they made A LOT of trips to Home Depot. Upon realizing that a complete renovation over one weekend wasn’t the most realistic expectation, they recruited a family friend’s dad, Maurice, to finish the job. Maurice owns his own construction business called Crevier Craftsman, so we were confident that the final product was in good hands. According to Johnson, without Maurice they’d still be working on the trailer to this day. Lastly, Johnson’s mom helped out with the interiors, both painting and teaching him how to wallpaper.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

We hope that through our participation in Minnesota festivals, fairs, and collaborations with other local shops, we can find Minnesota inspiration every location we go. So far this summer, we’ve participated in Art-A-Whirl, anevent at Agra Culture, and Open Streets Lyndale. Follow us on social media for updates on where we’ll be next! For inquiries regarding the Sota Caravan, email us at press@sotaclothing.com.

Thanks and we hope to see you around this summer!

The Sota Clothing Crew!