We had the good fortune of connecting with Bridger and Carson Hart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bridger and Carson, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
From a young age, my brother Carson and I understood that individuality meant freedom, and used clothing to set ourselves apart from the crowd. As we stopped growing, the era of colorful hand-me-downs from my older brother came to a close. Suddenly, it was my time to make a statement.

So, I embarked on an extensive online search, delving into the vast world of unique fashion brands. I was struck by the sheer quantity of amazing brands out there, each offering something distinctive and innovative. To keep track of my discoveries, I started to curate a list on my phone, noting my favorite brands such as Banks Journal, Extra Vitamins, and Imperfects, then linking to their respective websites.

When I was ready to shop, I had a dozen tabs open, and separate checkouts for each brand. And then it became clear. Shopping for small brands is an uphill task, demanding an investment of time and effort that many can’t afford.

If shopping for small brands was easy, everyone would be doing it! We have Depop for resellers, Etsy for craft makers, and Google, well, Google surfaces the largest brands on the planet, invariably the highest bidders. Online stores have been around for ages, but surprisingly, no central community exists for discovering and supporting emerging brands.

What started as an idea to centralize the small brand experience, became a story of community and individuality. And being in an era where fast-fashion giants dominate the industry, our passion for starting Hoppn is less of a choice and more of a necessity!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Our creative collaborations together go way back. Carson and I were each awarded best artist in our graduating classes at Mira Costa High School, though for different reasons. Carson for his graphic design and photography, and me for my work as a filmmaker and visual effects artist.

Raised in the small town of Hermosa Beach, Carson was captivated by the dynamic of how surfing and skating, each inherently individualist sports, became strengthened through the power of community. This lifestyle manifested in the clothing brands of our local surf shops, where creativity and storytelling helped shape our SoCal beach culture.

Outside of our local neighborhood, Carson participated in a unique online community of LEGO builders. His ability to create resulted in being published in several LEGO books and an offer to participate in the hit TV show LEGO Masters. This affection for community building, in addition to problem-solving through LEGO, greatly influenced his design approach for Hoppn. Drawing from these experiences, came the belief that technology can bring people together like never before.

My curiosities lead me to dive deep into the technical aspects of filmmaking, a medium that in many ways blends the arts and sciences. I was particularly drawn to the world of visual effects, which offers so many ways to creatively problem-solve, and as a result, creates magic! In ways, Hoppn has become an outlet for me to continue to create that feeling of magic, not in entertainment, but in solving everyday problems that people face. You can see this in our infinite color search tool, the first of its kind, which allows you to instantly find products that match any color in existence.

We are both in our own ways perfectionists. If we’re going to work on something, we’re going to give it everything we’ve got or not do it at all. Even when expectations are high, they will never be as high as the expectations we put on ourselves. Rather than viewing this mindset as a burden, we consider it an integral part of our nature. Ultimately, nothing motivates us more than the chance to create work we are proud of that has a positive impact on the world.

While we often attribute our progress to either hard work or luck, I find unlucky experiences to be as critical to success as the contrary. For me, adversity comes in the form of my Dyslexia, where binging youtube tutorials on 2-speed has become my go-to approach to education. The diverse content I watch cultivates my unique point of view and allows me to spot opportunities that others may overlook. For example, because of my Dyslexia, I’m quick to notice that the most prevalent online marketplaces have a cluttered display of choices and excessive use of text! Out of this frustration, stemmed a simplistic user experience where less is more.

This perspective brought about our company motto of “same thing, less words”. A minimalist first approach that we take to every aspect of the business. Had reading come naturally to me, I would have had a much easier time in school, but I wouldn’t be on the path I am today.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA has tons to offer, but nothing tops a good ole’ bike ride along the South Bay strand! You avoid LA traffic, and it’s perfect for cruising and conversating with friends. Plus it’s the ideal balance of a scenic ocean view, casual exercise, and great local spots along the way. We’d recommend starting in Manhattan Beach, taking a pit stop at Spyder Surf on the Hermosa Beach Pier Plaza, and proceeding south for a Mai Tai at Tony’s on the Redondo pier. If you’re feeling adventurous, continue cruising up towards the Riviera Village. The Coffee Cartel is a personal favorite of mine and a total magnet for creative types. On the return, enjoy the best of LA’s sunsets as you head towards the vivid nightlife of downtown Hermosa Beach.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We would like to dedicate our shoutout to our parents, who raised us and our younger brother Finnley in a household centered around creativity, laughter, and work ethic. They gave us the freedom to pursue our passions while also instilling in us an understanding of business and the importance of self-sufficiency.

Our entrepreneurial spirit was influenced by our father who invents candy for a living (such as the Juicy Drop Pop), and our mother who worked as a fashion designer in DTLA. Their careers, imbued with creativity and innovation, shaped our perspectives on what’s possible.

And for those that made it happen, we’d like to extend our shoutout to all of the small business fashion brands that took the leap of faith when deciding to partner with Hoppn for our initial product launch. Brands like Chance, Chunks, CISE, Kaan, LUCCA MART, Seager, Mokuyobi, NATASHIA, Thousand Fell, Tio Lee, and UPRISERS (just to name a few) have supported our vision since our early concept, and we’re beyond excited to continue to grow our community together.

Website: https://hoppn.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoppn/

Other: Carson Hart: https://www.instagram.com/carsonhart/ Bridger Hart: https://www.instagram.com/bridger._.hart/

Image Credits
Bridger Hart

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.