Rob Kobrzynski waves at a passing car, a familiar salute he offers to drivers that affix a graphic Lake Art front license plate to their vehicles. It’s just one of the creatively customized products he designs and sells for locals and regulars who want to show some Lake Wallenpaupack love.
“I have your art print on my wall,” a customer told Kobrzynski with pride and a sense of ownership that inspired the Lake Art brand, centered on the Poconos destination Lake Wallenpaupack. For years, he and his wife Christine Pucciarello fled corporate jobs in Jersey for their lake house there on the weekends. They could never find cool gear or stylized Lake Wally decor to bring home.
“As a hobby, why don’t we open up a shop where you can use your creative skills to come up with different designs and concepts for T-shirts, mugs, decals and photography,” Pucciarello suggested to her husband, a graphic designer who trained at The Art Institute of Philadelphia.
Lake Art has some unique caps customers can wear while out enjoying Lake Wallenpaupack.
Photos: Harmony Klinkiewicz
The fledgling “for fun” venture started with a 10-by-10-foot tent display at the annual Wally Lake Fest and evolved into a 600-foot storefront in Greentown, Pennsylvania, along the lake. Lake Art quickly outgrew this spot and relocated to Hawley, where the couple have celebrated 10 years in business, fully dedicated to the brand and the lake.
“It’s a lifestyle,” says Kobrzynski of shacking up along 52 miles of uninterrupted shoreline and 5,700 acres of water, 60 feet under at its deepest level. The quintessential shape of Lake Wally is now trademarked by Lake Art and a prominent motif in apparel, accessories, tableware, home accents, license plates and wall art.
Kobrzynski says, “It’s so rewarding as a graphic designer that my art is going into customers’ homes and I see people wearing Lake Art gear and they express their joy and stories.”
Repping a happy place
“You’re the guy who’s selling Lake Wallenpaupack stuff,” people told Kobrzynski upon discovering Lake Art. Like him, they were falling short on namedrop souvenirs and gifts to wear and share.
A couple of outposts sold namedrop cheapies that “lacked creative flair.” There wasn’t a focused boutique that offered proud-to-wear Lake Wally products. Kobrzynski’s Lake Art filled a gap in the market and took off quickly.
The business was equally in demand and rewarding for Kobrzynski.
“It boils down to being truly inspired by the lake, whether the photography of beautiful sunsets or moments out on the water boating or fishing,” he says. “It’s a whole Poconos vibe, and its uniqueness has been a driving force for the creative. We call it, ‘Outfitting your lake lifestyle,’ and people have a sense of ownership when they visit here or own a home here. They want to return home with a souvenir.”
A curated lake map design available in different wall-sized prints (each signed by Kobrzynski) pinpoints popular surrounding attractions and communities. “The poster piece can be framed or given as a gift, and it’s one of our really popular items,” he says.
The lake shape is fashioned into metal cut-out artwork. Cheeseboards, platters, dish towels, pillows, canvas bags, photography and all things Lake Wally are artfully displayed in the shop.
Good luck leaving without a tailored wearable: T-shirts, hoodies, caps, beanies, relaxed-fit beach sweaters galore and more. Items are designed by Kobrzynski.
Since opening Lake Art, the business has expanded to include complementary lines and products from vendors including Town Pride, Exist, L2 Brands, MV Sport, Artisans, Candlefish, Comfortwash and Champion among others.
People like collecting Lake Art’s unique souvenirs, including license plates, stickers, signs and other decor.
A couple of years ago during Atlanta Market at AmericasMart, the couple sat down with Rewined Candles and developed a proprietary line for Lake Art. “We selected four different scents that remind us of the lake and came up with different naming conventions and packaging designs for each, from the box to the candle label to the insert card,” says Kobrzynski.
One of the soy wax candles is called Northwest Winds, honoring “breezy lake days” and “the best boat days ever.”
Every product tells a story that is close to Wally Lake home.
Spinning off inspo
“Lake Art inspired the other two businesses,” Kobrzynski says of a sort of cottage industry he and Pucciarello have percolated during the last several years. Wine by the lake? Done. Cheese to go with it? Got that, too.
Now, Lake Art is one of a trio that includes Three Hammers Winery that makes small-batch wines in-house with grapes sourced from across the country — and West Coast awards garnered for its sips. Also there’s Milford Wine & Cheese Co. that crosses the house-made wine with artisanal cheese pairings, and of course the graphic labels and apparel, plus goods Lake Art sells for a full-circle trifecta of sales and experiences.
Apparel at Lake Art often features the Lake Wallenpaupack name drop or shape to honor the Pennsylvania destination.
The couple named the winery Three Hammers after the 1820s farmhouse on the property they acquired in Hawley. “It was built by three brothers from Philadelphia and their last name was Hammer,” relates Kobrzynski. “I designed the apparel, logos and wine labels and it’s a great story in respect to the family.”
Every spot offers experiences along with elevated take-homes, souvenirs and gifts.
And designs are an ever-changing endeavor for Kobrzynski, who has a different way of thinking about March Madness. For the Lake Art enterprise, mad design is what this month means to roll out fresh looks and tweaked aesthetics that keep regulars and visitors buying more.
But most of all, Kobrzynski says, “It’s all so fun, rewarding and very inspiring.”
Retailer Spotlight: LAKE ART, Hawley, PA
Owner: Rob Kobrzynski
Bestsellers: Posters, artwork and apparel
Retail Tip: Offer a sense of ownership with souvenirs tied to the destination.
