Ahead of their collaboration with Urban Outfitters, Drew Shoup, brand strategist at Cryptoon Goonz sat down with the comapny's two founders, Sean Morgan and Jesse Friedland to talk all things Crypto and how they're feeling about their collection in UO.

To celebrate the collaboration, Urban Outfitters is hosting an event during NFT Week in NYC at the brand’s flagship store in Herald Square on June 20th, from 12pm to 5pm.

Drew Shoup
What up!? Drew Shoup, brand strategist for Cryptoon Goonz reporting and I've got the two other Goonz here. Do y'all want to introduce yourselves and talk a little bit about what you do?

Jesse Friedland
Hey, I’m Jesse, lead engineer for Cryptoon Goonz. I wear a lot of different hats but I'm really just the opener of Portals.

Sean Morgan
Hi! I'm Sean. I'm the co-founder and artist of the Cryptoon Goonz. I draw everything Goonz!

Drew Shoup
Well, before we get to you two, I'll briefly talk about my thoughts on the collaboration. When we first started talking to Urban, I was super stoked. In my view, Urban is the coolest large retail store. I remember being 18 and on tour in Chicago with one of the indie punk bands that I worked with at the time. They took me to my first UO store and I literally spent half my paycheck for the month because I was just like, "Yo, this shit is sick." It did start a very awkward cardigan phase for me that I've luckily scrubbed from the internet but I'm so hype that we have our stuff in there now.

Sean Morgan
Yeah, I'm definitely stoked on it. Especially because whenever I go shopping for clothes, Urban is really the place where I find the most stuff and it's definitely where I would want our brand to be carried right off the bat. It's pretty awesome and I just I think we're a great fit for UO.

Jesse Friedland
When I heard we were going to be working with Urban, I was super excited. I told my wife and she was like, "Remember when we first got a UO in our local mall and it was like, 'the best thing ever?!'" So immediately I felt very connected. Also, Urban’s style matches how I like to dress. There really aren’t any retail stores that match my personality like Urban. This whole experience has been surreal.

Drew Shoup
Definitely! And what impact do you think this collection might have on the greater NFT space? For me, it's about establishing and showing what we as Cryptoon Goonz and other brands are doing with NFTs. It's a lot more than just pictures on the internet that sell for a lot of money.

Jesse Friedland
Yeah, I think it's so important for NFT projects and brands to show that we're not just hype. To produce a real product and have it available in physical stores where customers can come and experience it. It's a validating moment for the entire industry. Customers can just love the art & style and that's amazing but we believe that clothing is art so this is an amazing way to share Sean’s incredible work & style with a wider audience.

Sean Morgan
That's a great point! People outside the NFT space who don't understand it often don't take it seriously. They assume it's people buying JPEGs, but it's a good way to show people that it's a real business and a creative way to start your own business without going the typical way about it.

Drew Shoup
The one thing that I'm super excited about too, is the accessibility of the clothes not only being available on site but also in-stores. I think being able to actually have the product in front of people and have conversations make it a lot easier to explain these things than the quick one minute article they read on CNBC or some weird post they see on Twitter.

Jesse Friedland
That's such a good point. The crypto media headlines always focus on the worst things right? They often paint this kind of negative picture because those are the headlines that get the most clicks. Our launch event on June 20th at Urban's Herald Square store is a great opportunity to have foot traffic right in the heart of New York City with people walking in and having a conversation with a team and community of experts. We love teaching and showing people what Web3 is all about!

Drew Shoup
I also think a cool part about this collaboration is that is gives people access to the Goonz where our online store is primarly token-gated. This is an opportunity for people to get their hands on our brand in a physical way.

Sean Morgan
Totally, I know a lot of people who are trying to get some Cryptoon Goonz clothing and can't access it right now, so it's definitely exciting for all of those people or even people who already own Cyptoon Goonz and are excited to be able to buy it from an actual retail store because it's more legit.

Drew Shoup
Totally! Last thing I wanted to mention is that Urban will be hosting a giveaway to win an exclusive Cryptoon Goonz minted NFT. It's a really exciting way to engage new audiences and get them into NFTs.

Jesse Friedland
I can't wait to see everyone in the store in Herald Square, the heart of New York City. It's going to be an awesome event. Can’t wait to unveil all that we’ve been working on with Urban Outfitters the last couple of months.