Conversations with Doc Dougherty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Doc Dougherty.

Hi Doc, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
The journey: We first started tie-dyeing for my wife’s (then) 3rd grade class, making “Field Day” t-shirts. We received a lot of positive feedback and encouragement, so we decided to try our hand at the local Farmer’s Market. We received more positive feedback so after some alcohol and poor decisions, we formed an LLC and decided to take the business on the road. We used the business to pay for our travels and adventures throughout AZ and NM. Things were going along fine as a part-time hobby/side hustle with several outdoor venues. I was finishing up my last classes in Automotive Technology at Cochise College, and COVID hit. We lost all our outdoor venues but were tired of being cooped up inside, so after some more alcohol and poor decisions, we decided to open our first “brick-and-mortar’ storefront in the basement of a building off the main drag in Bisbee, AZ. 

Now, three years since we opened on my birthday weekend, I’m still a retired Army NCO, Katie is the Art teacher for Col Smith MS on Ft Huachuca, and we have an amazing “new” space in the historic Arts District in Old Bisbee, at 67 Main St, the former Elks lodge (1912). We still do outdoor venues in SE AZ and SW NM. We currently attend the July Jamboree and Lumberjack Days in Cloudcroft, NM, Art in the Park, Sierra Vista, AZ, and the Sky Island Fall Festival in Patagonia, AZ. We are looking to add at least one more spring venue in Tucson, and I’m working with a good friend and classic VW enthusiast for an event closer to him in Peoria, AZ, but that’s still in the “good idea” phase. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For the most part, things have gone fairly smooth, and we must give thanks and credit to the professionals at Cochise College Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The folks at SBDC set us up for success and showed us which forms, etc., we’d need to form an LLC along with help in transforming the vision into a valid and sustainable business plan. They have been an invaluable resource since day-1 and have continued to provide guidance and direction as our business has grown. For us, we seemed to undergo a paradigm shift in the way we conduct business and/or operate. We moved from just the farmer’s market to outdoor venues of increasing size. We added a full-size truck with shell to haul our wares and camping gear. 

From making a mess to making wearable art – Learning how to dye and how to dye well took practice. Lots and lots of practice! We had some designs that were epic wins as well as epic fails. Refining dyeing techniques becoming more efficient with resources have all been part of the journey. It seems like we learn at least one “big” thing new each year. Whether is a new dyeing method, a new color palette, or a new outdoor layout for venues – we keep looking for ways to improve. 

Quality has always been paramount for us. It goes out the door with our name on it, and that means something. We start with a high-quality 100% cotton “blank” (LS/SS tees, skirts, dresses, etc.), which gets washed/dried – dyed, washed/dried again. Our creative energy goes into every piece we make every time we touch it. e.g. It took us a while to find a nice quality hoodie that performed well (needed to dye, wash, and wear well without shrinking weird), now we offer that high-quality hoodie in both zippered and pull-over. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a tie-dye artist, I think one of the things that sets us apart from other dyers is our use of color. We use a lot of colors! I like to tell our customers that I use the “Crayola 64 box” of dyes. We’ve made a few signature pieces either using specific colors and/or patterns. As we live in the historic mining town of Bisbee, the local minerals serve as inspiration. “Bisbee Blue” turquoise, Azurite, Malachite, and Copper Porphyrite are represented by using 14 different color dyes and finished with a copper-metallic logo, which we affectionately call “Bisbee ROCKS!” Another area where we stand out is that we offer clothing and apparel for “everyone” – we have onesies, youth tees and dresses, adult tees, skirts dresses hats, and more – we even have dyed clothing and apparel for your four-legged adventure buddy! We also offer custom work as well – examples include bedding, duvet covers, shower curtains, and towels. 

But one of the best things to hear is positive feedback on how well our garments wash and wear. We take our time and do it right from start to finish, which means a no-fuss garment that looks fabulous. 

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
Ha! Well, I’m a retired Army NCO (MSG/E8) and Jump Master (airborne), so my view on risk-taking is a bit different than most. It’s ok to be scared or nervous about taking that first step in any journey, but you’ll never get anywhere without starting. One can see opportunities and consider possibilities – but if you never bet on yourself, why would anyone else? Ask the question. Take the chance. Try – and if you fail, get up and keep going. Taking the chance to bet on myself ourselves and starting a business in a basement when I had a solid job offer in a field I’d gone to school for… it was not an easy decision process but one I do not regret for an instant. It was the best decision I ever made. 

Pricing:

• Adult SS/LS tees $25/$29
• Adult dresses $45-$60; skirts $40
• Hoodies $45-$55
• Youth onseies, jammies, tees & dresses
• Custom orders available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://docsdyes.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docsdyes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/docsdyes/