Are You a Bottom Reader, Too?

A limited edition merch drop for Rooted subscribers

In December 2022, I sent out the very first issue of Rooted Magazine to a handful of subscribers (aka my family and friends). Since then, Rooted has published nearly 100 interviews with creative and interesting Mississippi transplants, expats, and natives. We’ve delivered dozens of carefully curated lagniappe issues filled with original poetry, prose, fiction, art, and photography. We’ve hosted a year’s worth of Rooted Book Club discussions with authors whose work has deepened and challenged our understanding of the South. And we’ve launched two monthly columns: “Chronicles from Parchman” by incarcerated writer L. Patri and “Mississippi Sideboard” by food and culture writer Jesse Yancy. We’ve done all this on a shoestring budget, while also offering writers an honorarium as a thank you for their time and creative energy.

All this would not be possible without you, Rooted subscribers. So, thank you. THANK YOU. There are now nearly 1,500 of you here from across forty-four states and twenty-five countries. You’ve shared these emails with friends and family members. You’ve bought us coffees and supported us with paid and founding memberships.

And now, we’re launching our first limited-run Rooted merch drop. I’ve mulled the idea of merch for a long time, but I wanted anything we put into the world to feel intentional and true to our mission. I also wanted it to feel very…Mississippi. So, for a limited time only, we’re taking pre-orders on these locally printed, one-of-a-kind sweatshirts and t-shirts featuring an original design by Mississippi artist and small business owner Tyler Tadlock. How much do you love this snazzy, intellectual, forward-thinking catfish?! And the modern cross-stitch text? Personally, I’m obsessed.

Buying Rooted swag is just another way to support our mission to tell more unfiltered, authentic Mississippi stories. Plus you get to look good while doing it. Paid subscribers get 5% off all purchases. Founding subscribers get 10% off plus free shipping.

Sweatshirts are $48 + shipping.

T-shirts are $32 + shipping.

Are you ready to pre-order? Fill out this form, and I’ll follow up with an invoice. Pre-orders will run through the end of the month. Bottom Reader t-shirts and sweatshirts will be printed and shipped in January. Thank you for supporting this Mississippi-made publication!

If you have any questions, post them in the comments!