Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Seattle Startup Hopes Wide Loads Have Deep Pockets

Niche, novelty or a pain in the you-know-what? That's the question a Seattle-based startup will try to answer in the coming months. Lard Butt LLC, an athletic apparel retailer, announced Wednesday that it has launched its Web site and online store, www.lardbutt.com. The fledgling firm said it currently carries many examples of its Lard Butt-branded clothing and merchandise with more to be introduced throughout the year. Using the slogan, "Get Cracking," Lard Butt bills itself as an apparel and lifestyle company "for the rest of us." "There are plenty of great companies out there for elite athletes," said Mark Peterson, a Lard Butt co-founder, "but the Lard Butt demographic needs some love, too." Included among the startup's more tongue-in-cheek offerings: an online forum called LardBlog, a virtual photo gallery featuring fellow Lard Butts, a "Lard Butt of the Year" contest, and plans to stage an annual 1-kilometer run/walk.