Category Archives: Zen Garage

Late Night KK’s Run

Posted on 12 October, 2014 by Justin Fox

Ohhhhhh.

Been a looooong time, baby!

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Hello Coco!

Posted on 23 September, 2014 by Justin Fox

When I shot Coco in Tokyo last week we talked about her getting more out there, and making YouTube videos was one of the things we discussed. She’s just kicked off her channel and I get a little mention in there! So glad you guys get to listen to her English too, considering she’s never lived anywhere outside of Japan, and was born in Japan, it’s amazing, don’t you agree?!

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Ogilvy Talk

Posted on 2 September, 2014 by Justin Fox

Ogilvy entrance.

Hey it’s Brian! Brian was speaking too, about his new company Common Ventures.

Aus Infront on the big screen.

I’m on a high from a talk I gave at Ogilvy earlier today. Every fortnight Ogilvy have a Lunch & Learn event where everybody gets together and somebody presents on a chosen topic. The whole point is not just to learn, but be inspired.

I was invited to talk on the topic of Start-Ups / Small Businesses. Basically following your passion/dream, breaking out of the mould, pursuing something, tuning it into a business and making it successful.

Of-course I had a lot to say about the topic. Starting with Australian INfront through to Zen Garage, of finding happiness by being in the moment of doing what you love.

Conversations with Pauline helped to get me in the right frame of mind for this talk. I found myself patting myself on the back driving on route to Ogilvy, not just after the talk driving home.

I only had 15 minutes. I’m more used to having an hour to present! I had to take big chunks out, but I shared a little, showed a little and I had an absolute blast. A quick Q&A at the end let me say a little bit more, which was great. I just wished there was more time as I love any opportunity to speak (haha!).

Posted in Design, Spam, Zen Garage | 1 Comment

NINJAS @ Zen Garage, one last hoorah!

Posted on 28 August, 2014 by Justin Fox

NINJAS @ Zen Garage last night.

Back in 2011 when we first opened up we had the NINJAS over to bless our space (revisit that feature here). Back then we didn’t have our shop fit out installed, we basically had an empty space, so it seems fitting that we invite the NINJAS back one last time now that Zen is completely empty again.

As expected, seeing the space so empty stirred up a few emotions. Zen Garage is but a shadow of the space it once was, the logos on the walls are the only real remnants of Zen, and as strong as they are they don’t carry across that great Zen vibe without all the other goodies we managed to cram into our man cave over the past 3 years.

Like the first time, we ordered Pizza and again we had no table or chairs to eat it on, but the great company, conversation, food, tunes and beers helped get our minds off the empty space that once was Zen Leichhardt.

Soon after dinner we got the Pedalkhana going. A course which saw a fast slalom through the pylons, a slow and slippery figure 8 through some posts then a roll up a couple of down low ramps into the office through to a step drop off into the finish line.

The first round saw contestants use their bike of choice, the second round was much the same except riders weren’t allowed to set a foot down (if they did they were instantly disqualified). The third round levelled the playing field and saw all competitors use the funny bike!

View the full feature on Zen Blog: http://www.zengarage.com.au/2014/08/ninjas-zen-garage-the-last-hoorah

Posted in Bike, Zen Garage | 1 Comment

ZEN PHOTOWALK

Posted on 21 August, 2014 by Justin Fox

All the photos gathered from the Zen Photowalk last weekend are now up on the Zen Blog! Was such an awesome day out, so much luck was on our side, from the rain holding out, to the cops not pressing charges when they caught us breaking into the Rozelle Tram sheds!!! Check out the full feature, it’s a rippa!

Visit: http://www.zengarage.com.au/2014/08/zenphotowalk

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Red Lantern VIP

Posted on 15 August, 2014 by Justin Fox

VIP
Yeah you know me!

A while back the Zen crew feasted like Kings at Red Lantern on Riley. The food was mind blowing! We’ve been in touch ever since and we’ve managed to secure a few ZEN GARAGE VIP CARDS to hand out which get you a massive 20% off your meal!!!

What a mad collab! I’m stoked. All orders from our online shop will get a card as of today until they run out!

Check out our review of Red Lantern on Zen Blog.

PS: Could not resist giving the card a spin last night, and had the best catch up with Felix and Di for dinner at Red Lantern on Riley last night. The food was EPIC. The beef, OMFG the beef.

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Zen Garage Leichhardt is now closed for good

Posted on 12 August, 2014 by Justin Fox

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A photo I took when we first inspected the warehouse space in Leichhardt.

ZEN LEICHHARDT STORE IS NOW CLOSED FOR GOOD.

It’s been a few months coming, and we’ve kept it under wraps as best we could but for over a year we’ve been looking for a new venue and sadly we’ve failed to find the right space. Our lease is up (has been up for a while now) and we’ve had to make a very hard decision, one that none of us have taken lightly, but the decision has been made and we’re letting go of our Leichhardt store.

It’s been an amazing 3 years, opening up with a queue of people on day 1, a plethora of events, special guests, many who have become family and let’s not forget our sick Saturday hangs.

We’d like to sincerely thank everyone who dropped by at some point in the last 3 years. It’s been fucking amazing. Zen Garage will live on, our online shop will continue to run and we’ll soon have even more next level Zen products than ever. Of-course expect us to host and participate at even more events now that we’re not chained to the shop!!!

The Zen Crew.
Justin, Robert & Sergio.

On a personal side note, and completely my own observations and opinions: I can’t understand how ANY small businesses in Australia survive. Online, sure, no overheads, no worries, but having a bricks and mortar business? Forget it! Our insurance incase someone hurt themselves in our space was more than our rent!!!!

We’ve said it so many times before, we’re doing it for the love, but when the government takes so much from your business you’ve got to wonder, 3 years in, whether the love could soon run out.

I’m sad, but at the same time SUPER excited about putting the money saved from closing the physical store back into Zen, big time! A quick trip to Japan next month to energise, then I’m going to fucking slay 2015!!!

Posted in Zen Garage | 7 Comments

BEST OF AUTO – Volume #01

Posted on 11 August, 2014 by Justin Fox

A couple of weeks ago I put a call out to get Automotive Photographers to submit their images for a feature on Zen in an aim to get more traffic to their web sites and Instagram followers.

I’ve always been a massive supporter of the little guy. Most if not all of the creative projects I’ve birthed have been about encouraging young people to create, and giving them a platform to get their work published, sometimes literally on the very same page as some of the world’s best. That goes a long way, seeing your work published right next to your heroes work.

In regards to photography I’ve seen first hand what a little encouragement can do, some of my fave photographers out there right now weren’t great at all when I first started promoting their work, now they’re fucking amazing.

So I knew there would be some great entries! BEST OF AUTO – Best of Automotive Photography Volume #01 is now live! Thanks and congrats to all photographers who submitted a photo!

Visit: http://www.zengarage.com.au/2014/08/best-of-auto-volume-001/

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American Zen

Posted on 19 July, 2014 by Justin Fox

american_zen_garage

american_zen

zen_garage_desktop_toy

I came across an image of this desktop toy set on tumblr. I did a search for “American Zen Day Dreamin’ in the Garage” and managed to find a new unopened one on eBay USA. Had to have it!

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Jasmine x illest

Posted on 12 July, 2014 by Justin Fox

Another day another shoot?! I shot Jasmine yesterday in some illest gear which we’ve got on sale in our shop. I love the almost voyeuristic shot of Jasmine midnight snacking on the nutella (check the size of that thing!).

More images on my tumblr.