Dunny Fatale Series Release & Trading Party at Hero.

Dunny Fatale Series
Release + Trading Party at Hero
Thursday January 28 - 6-9pm

Dunny gets a makeover in our latest series, featuring designs from 18 prominent and talented female artists. Come to Hero and get your hands on these lovelies before everyone else, meet fellow collectors, get your trade on and win awesome prizes.

Some are cute and sweet, while others are bold and in your face.

Each blind boxed 3-inch figure comes with a trading card and some include accessories.

Artists in this innovative series include Alex Anderson, Catalina Estrada, KLOR, CW, Aiko, Kathie Olivas, Wendi Koontz, Koralie, Baroness, Anna Chambers, Amanda Visell, Amy Ruppel, Julie West, Toofly, Junko Mizuno, Aya Kakeda, Tara McPherson, and Sara Varon.

Join Hero for an exciting release and trading party. Be the first to get your hands on this highly anticipated series and swap with the other dunny collectors. We will have food, drinks, super rad giveaways and more!

When:
Thursday January 28
6-9pm

Where:
Hero Design Studio + Boutique
93 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY

*** RSVP to the Facebook Event here
*** Download & Print the checklist here
*** More info about trading parties here

The Hero 2010 Calendar Print is Available Now!

2010 Calendar Silkscreen Print
"Good Day Sunshine"

A stylish and fun way to keep track of what day it is in 2010! No matter what the weather is doing outside, it will always be sunny inside.

Buy this print and we guarantee 2010 will be the BEST and sunniest year yet!

The traditional Sunday - Saturday calendar at the bottom of the print is laid out so that it can easily be cut off, if you want to keep the print hanging without the calendar after 2010 is over.

This is a 16" x 20" three color silkscreen print, printed with non-toxic water based ink, and printed on Springhill Index in Ivory 140# index. Limited edition of just 75 prints, each print is numbered and signed.

This is a great holiday gift!!

Applying the "Think Different" (a look back at the last three years)

It's pretty safe to say that no single company has ever inspired me more than Apple Computer. I have read (maybe) ten books in my life and Steve Jobs' biography makes that very short list. The first time I walked into an Apple store two things occurred to me; one, if there is a heaven this must be what it looks like, bright white, open and beautiful. The second thing that I immediately realized is, this place isn't just built for selling computers, but it was also built to sell their brand, the lifestyle and most importantly the human experience.

Three and half years ago Hero called a 250 square foot office on Main Street, "home". We were busting at the seams there, using a hallway for our poster inventory and printing our posters in a friend's basement, miles away. People would walk by and bang on my window, and proceed to yell to me that they wanted to come in, to purchase a poster. Although it was cool to sell our posters using the same system as a meth dealer, it was time for a change.

We needed more space, but we also needed more money for said space. It was time to get even more creative than we were already trying to be, but instead of being creative with a "Built To Spill" poster, we needed to be creative with our entire business. In times like those, I have to take a step back and look at everything I love and admire, and everything that inspires me, to see how I can apply it to my personal situation. I immediately thought about the Apple Store and thought, "WHAT IF?". The design industry for the most part is a closed door world, hidden away on the third floor of some office building. What if we took it to the street and opened the door? What if we invited other creatives or fans of creativity, into a space and offered them a chance to experience all things design? What If we applied what we had always loved about Apple and started to "Think Different" about our own little business?

Three years later, we're on the street level and we have had an open door that entire time. People have been able to come in, look over the four-foot counter that separates our store from the design studio, to see what we're designing. They have been able to look in the back and see us screen printing our current project, they've been able to look at the walls to see the posters we've created over the past 4 years and they have been inspired from shelves and shelves of designer toys from artists all over the world. It is 700 square feet of all things design and creative, all happening in real time, right in front of your eyes. Three years later, in our hometown of Buffalo, more people than ever know who we are and we realize we are selling so much more than our posters, toys and design services. Just like our inspiration, Apple, we are selling ourselves, our brand and our own personal human experience.

The second best thing about this entire experience, which came as a surprise to me, has been the people. Many of our customers have become some of our best friends. After all, we help their loved ones pick out their gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and other special events in their lives. We have spent many of our favorite nights in Buffalo with these people in our tiny little store, drinking, eating and listening to good music, all while celebrating our common bond, a love for design. Some come in every other month, some a couple times a month and a few every single week. They don't always buy something, but for us it's not just always about making money, it's about getting out of our chairs, putting the project or client on hold, and just shooting the shit with a good friend. The people, our customers and friends, have made this business enjoyable to us and they make going to work even more exciting than it already is.

What has been the BEST thing about this entire experience for me, you ask? It is doing what I love for a living, with my favorite person, who is both my partner in life and in business, all while our dog is laying at our feet. I may not be a wealthy man and my bank account can prove that, but I am a happy man and my laugh lines are a badge of honor. This little store has supported my dreams while others are still dreaming.

Thank you for three great years! Let's make it thirty more!

Mark Brickey
Husband, Designer, Printer, Store Owner, Businessman, Friend, Dog Owner & Community College Drop Out

Our Posters, Your Walls

Built to Spill - Oakland, CA

We ship our posters all over the world and it is always so amazing to see where they end up. So we are putting together an album of our posters in their final resting places, check out the album so far.

Do you have a Hero poster hanging in your favorite dwelling(s)? Send us your photos to hero.design {at} mac {dot} com with your city + state and we'll get it added to the album. Thanks!

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 9 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 16 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

In celebration of Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead (which is celebrated yesterday, November 1 and today, November 2) - this week's Great Ten Dollar Poster is our Sugar Skull art print.

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 2 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 9 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.

The Hero Boutique is Turning Three...

It's our party and we'll give great deals if we want to.

Stop by the Hero Boutique to celebrate with us any time from 12pm - 10pm on Friday the 13th to take advantage of the great deals listed above and more importantly come by between 7pm and 10pm for cocktails, giveaways and more!!

What? You wanna get us a birthday present?
The best gift you can give us is your continued support so we are able to stick around for many more years to come! Stop by our store, buy something for yourself, for a gift, or get a jump start on your holiday shopping. Even the smallest purchases support our store and allow us to continue to bring you the newest and coolest goodies.

RSVP to this event on Facebook.

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday October 26 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 2 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast, last week's Great Ten Dollar poster sold out in less than 24 hours. Offer valid from Monday October 19 at 12 pm EST until Monday October 26 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.

New Mongers Filter Kings Available Now at Hero

Mongers Filter Kings

Get addicted to a fresh pack of Mongers in the 3rd installment of Frank Kozik’s infamous series. Each of the 19 flavorful figures, including the 2 chases, are 2-inches tall, and aim to satisfy your fix at Hero.

Frank Kozik established himself in the mid-eighties by reviving the lost art of the concert poster. His success designing posters segued into artwork, namely album covers for music powerhouses like The Sex Pistols and Nirvana. Today, Kozik’s main artistic focus is in the design and production of vinyl toys.

Dunny Series 2009 are Almost Sold Out!

Hoping to get your hands on some of the newest series of Dunnys, Series 2009? Hurry and get 'em now before they are gone. We are down to the last two boxes and they are going super fast! We are unable to order more, so get yours while you can!!

New Buffalo Prints from Hero Design and Buffalo Rising

Buffalo Rising Print
16" x 20" - 4 color silkscreen print

We were proudly commissioned by Buffalo Rising to create four, brand new limited edition Buffalo Art Prints for their online store. Each design is a 16" x 20" silkscreen print and each is an edition size of only 150 prints, the colors vary from 3 to 5 colors per print. They are all printed on Accent Opaque Smooth White 100# cover stock.


The prints are available now and can be purchased online in the Buffalo Rising store or in person at the Hero Boutique at 93 Allen Street in Buffalo, NY.


From Buffalo Rising:

We've had the good fortune of working with Hero Design in the past and, based on that experience, we were anxious to find another opportunity to work together. Well, we found it and we couldn't be happier with the results.

If you're not familiar with Hero Design, take some time to check out their work. They are hyper-talented young designers the city should be proud to be home to and their work has been lauded in Spin Magazine and elsewhere.

We commissioned Hero Design to create, design and print four distinct Buffalo-themed prints. The results are four unique, beautiful, hand-crafted prints which capture different parts of the Buffalo identity.

Queen City Print
16" x 20" - 4 color silkscreen print

Good Town Print
16" x 20" - 3 color silkscreen print

Steel A Great City Print
16" x 20" - 4 color silkscreen print

Sorry for the quiet bloggy...

It's gonna be a quiet week or two around here, Hero is gearing up for SXSW and Flatstock 20 next week and besides shipping ALL of our stuff to Austin, we're printing TONS of new posters and artprints. So right now there is lots of packing, organizing, printing and a little bit of freaking out going on over here.

More info to follow on what SXSW and Flatstock are, but until then try not to miss us too much.

Buffalo's First ALL LOCAL Coupon Book!

"Where Buffalo Roams" contains over $2,500 in savings at some of the best local businesses. Available now at Hero for only $10. Check out the coupon for $5 off any purchase of $25 or more at Hero!!

Hurry up and get yours now before they are gone, they are gonna go fast!

25+ Things Under $10 at Hero

Hero's Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

Our picks for the BEST holiday gifts this year. Everything above is available in store at Hero now!!!
Not in the Buffalo area but wanna get some of these goodies? Email us at hero.design {at} mac.com or call us at 716-858-4376 to order (we accept paypal or credit card) and we will ship whatever you want within 24 hours of your purchase! Start shopping for Hero posters and artprints online NOW!

Huge Sale and a Huge Dunny at Hero this Friday and Saturday!

Come by Hero Friday and Saturday for our biggest sale EVER!! Things are gonna go fast so get here early if you are looking for something special. We are open 12pm - 6pm both days so you better be here!

Sneak peek at the Matisyahu Tour Poster Series

We're in the home stretch now - well past the halfway point on the 38 posters for Matisyahu's entire tour. So meanwhile - here is a sneak peek of the posters so far. The tour ends December 18 so we will have the posters for sale after that - until then, check out Matisyahu on tour on one of his remaining dates.

This B.U.D.'s for You - Custom 9" B.U.D. Toy Show OPENS THIS FRIDAY 10/24

This B.U.D.'s For You is a Custom Toy Show featuring Jamungo's 9" Blow Up Doll. There are over 35 artists from all over the world participating and creating one-of-a-kind custom toys. Some of the artists include Frank Kozik, Doktor A, Michael Michael Motorcycle, Shawnimals, Bobby Dixon and soo many more. Local artists include Thomas Rooney of Pavlov's Togs, Richard Kegler of P22, Jon Mirro of HOD Tattoo, Edreys, and Jordan Buckley of Every Time I Die.

All the pieces will be available for sale on a first come, first serve basis so make sure you get the the opening if you are interested in a specific toy.
The opening reception will be at El Museo (right next door to Hero) and the show will move over to Hero for the duration - until December 23. The remaining unsold pieces will also be for sale online starting October 31st at 12pm EST.

***GET MORE INFO HERE (including a full artist list) http://heroandsound.com/customshow08***

At Hero Now!

Lots of new goodies!! Stop by.