Have you ever noticed our formal company name, Car-Parts, Bottles, and Cutlery LLC, dba YES PLZ, and wondered about the unusual mix of items? Longtime YES PLZ customers and even our vendors have definitely raised an eyebrow! Well, there’s a story behind it, and it’s just as quirky as it sounds.
Back in 2018, when we were starting up YES PLZ with the mission to rescue kitchens from ordinary coffee, we wanted a legal name that was memorable and fun. We didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously from the get-go. The name actually comes from a Björk lyric, believe it or not! The idea to use it as a company name was inspired by a tweet from the webcomic artist Diesel Sweeties, rstevens.
Being a longtime Björk superfan, the tweet struck a chord. The idea of “Car-Parts, Bottles, and Cutlery” as a company name was so unexpected and humorous, it just stuck in my head. If I ever needed to name a corporate entity, this was going to be it.
For those unfamiliar with Björk, the lyric is from her iconic track Hyperballad from the album Post. The music video, directed by Michel Gondry, is visually stunning and a bit surreal, featuring Björk in a dreamlike state surrounded by blinking lights.
For fellow Björk enthusiasts, I highly recommend checking out her podcast series, Sonic Symbolism. In it, she and her friends delve into her extensive musical catalog. In short, Hyperballad is about the act of throwing seemingly random objects – yes, including car parts – off a cliff as a way to release frustration or to conceal a more aggressive side from a loved one. What this has to do with coffee? Well, that’s part of the fun, isn’t it? Comedian Chris Fleming seems to have his own interpretation as Björk’s imagined landlord:
@chrisflemingflemingBjörk taunting her landlord #bottles #carparts #cutlery
Now, while I found the name hilarious, not everyone shared my enthusiasm. My co-founder, Sumi, for example, is not a Björk fan (a tragedy, I know!). Beyond that, the reality of having such a lengthy and unusual company name, complete with Oxford commas and a hyphen, has proven to be quite the administrative challenge. Dealing with various bureaucracies and billing systems often requires us to truncate or alter the name, leading to a somewhat comical (and slightly stressful) spreadsheet of name variations. What started as a cute joke has, at times, felt like a cruel accounting prank.
However, today, some of that naming consternation transforms into pure fun as we introduce our latest limited edition YES PLZ merchandise: the car-parts hoodie! Late one night, I designed a logo inspired by our unconventional name, and it turned out to have a cool, streetwear vibe. Embroidered on a heavyweight Cotton Heritage hoodie, it looks fantastic.
Wearing the car-parts hoodie out for the first time this week, I was surprised by the number of compliments from strangers! Were they Björk fans recognizing the reference, or did they simply appreciate the unique design? For all of you YES PLZ aficionados who are now in on the joke, this must-have piece of fashion is available in our merch shop. Keep in mind they have a slimmer fit, so we recommend sizing up when you get yours.
Join me in embracing the slightly absurd and solving all your wardrobe dilemmas by making this hoodie your everyday essential! Get your car-parts hoodie today!
