Eagle-eyed YES PLZ customers and our valued vendors might have noticed something peculiar: our formal company name is Car-Parts, Bottles, and Cutlery LLC, dba YES PLZ. It’s a mouthful, we know! Let’s dive into the quirky story behind this unconventional moniker.
Back in 2018, when we embarked on our mission to rescue kitchens from the tyranny of mediocre coffee, I adopted a playful attitude towards our legal name. I figured, why not have some fun with it? The name itself is lifted from a Björk lyric (more on that shortly), but the inspiration to use it as a company name came from a tweet by the brilliant webcomic artist rstevens of Diesel Sweeties:
Image: A tweet from @rstevens featuring a humorous list of LLC names including “Car-Parts, Bottles, and Cutlery LLC”, highlighting the whimsical inspiration for the company name.
As a longtime Björk superfan, this tweet resonated deeply with my sense of humor. The idea of using such an absurd phrase for a corporate entity struck me as pure genius, and it stuck in my mind for future use.
For those unfamiliar with the Icelandic icon Björk, the lyric originates from her captivating track Hyperballad from the album Post. The song’s mesmerizing Michel Gondry-directed music video portrays Björk in a dreamlike state, surrounded by pulsating lights as she sings. The car parts reference within the lyrics is quite striking, hinting at themes of release and hidden emotions.
For fellow Björk enthusiasts, I highly recommend exploring her recent podcast series, Sonic Symbolism. In this series, Björk and her collaborators delve into the rich tapestry of her discography. In essence, Hyperballad uses the act of throwing car parts off a cliff as a metaphor for purging frustrations or concealing one’s aggressive side from a loved one. What does this have to do with coffee? Perhaps more than you think, in embracing the unexpected and unconventional! Comedian Chris Fleming, in his Björk landlord persona, offers his take on the matter:
@chrisflemingflemingBjörk taunting her landlord #bottles #carparts #cutlery
Now, my co-founder Sumi doesn’t quite share my amusement for tossing car-parts, bottles, and cutlery around, especially when it comes to official company documents. Being a non-Björk fan (a tragedy, indeed!), she also points out the practical headaches of a lengthy, comma-laden company name. The Oxford commas, the ampersand, the hyphen—and the need for constant truncations—create a bureaucratic maze. We even maintain a spreadsheet to track the variations that emerge across different systems! What started as a fun inside joke has become a source of accounting-related groans.
However, today we’re turning that playful joke into tangible swag! I’m thrilled to introduce our latest limited-edition YES PLZ merchandise: the car-parts hoodie! Inspired by the slightly absurd, streetwear-ready potential of our company name, I designed a logo late one night. And let me tell you, it looks incredible embroidered on a heavyweight Cotton Heritage hoodie.
Image: YES PLZ co-founder Tonx in a selfie, proudly wearing the new “Car-Parts” hoodie, showcasing its design and fit.
Wearing mine out this week, I was stopped by strangers showering compliments! Were they Björk aficionados recognizing the car parts reference, or simply admirers of sharp fashion? Regardless, for all of you YES PLZ insiders, this essential fashion piece is now available in our merch shop. Note: these hoodies have a slimmer fit, so we recommend sizing up.
Join me in embracing the wonderfully weird and solving all wardrobe dilemmas by making this hoodie your daily uniform! Grab your car-parts hoodie today and wear a piece of our story.
Image: A looping animated GIF of Björk from the Hyperballad music video, visually connecting the company name to its artistic inspiration.
