Jeff McDonald rockin' the Donovan.
The Labour District, located in downtown Oshawa, is honouring the city's heritage with a series of shirts named after various popular landmarks around the Motor City. The short sleeve button down fitted shirts are designed and made onsite by husband and wife team, Jeff McDonald and Amie Scott in a variety of materials tied in with the name.
“The 'Genosha' is more of a heavier cotton. It’s our take on a work shirt. The Genosha, near the end, was more working class, a place where guys go to watch the strippers, that’s where that one came from,” says McDonald.
The "Donevan" was named for the skate park on the east side of the city and The "Nonquon" for the north end park. The Hawaiian style "Parkwood" was inspired by Adam Sandler and the movie Billy Madison, which was filmed at the historic home of GM Canada founder Col. Sam McLaughlin. There is also a shirt called the "McLaughlin", which references Col. Sam.
“The 'McLaughlin' is more formal. It’s a gingham check shirt,” says McDonald.
Each shirt he says takes about three or four hours to make and they are all handmade by Scott.
It was always a dream for the couple to have their own store says McDonald, skate for him, (he had worked previously at Oshawa’s Alcatraz store) and a sewing shop for Scott who is self-taught and very much involved with the DIY arts & crafts lifestyle. Inspired by the ongoing revitalisation of the downtown the two opened last year near King and Celina to offer skate accessories, their own clothing line and sewing classes. The store name was drawn from each one writing down words related to their respective interests and then taking away the ones they didn’t like, leaving Labour and District. McDonald says the reception to the store has been great and they are both 100 per cent happy with their decision to open up in Oshawa.
100 per cent like the cotton in their shirts.