Why Do We Have a Shrine to Mr. T?

It's no secret that here at HomeGrown, we have pledged our souls to Mr. T.

The iconic star of The A Team lives rent free in our heads and occupies a corner of our shop. Over the years we've accumulated all kinds of memorabilia, from a vintage lunchbox to a bust of his head, and proudly display them in a shrine dedicated to his honor.  

But how did our cultish worship begin? 

Before we reveal the origins of the shrine, it is important to understand Mr. T: the man. Born in the 50's, he legally changed his last name to T at age 18.

He cited the reason as the lack of respect shown to black men in America; "I think about my father being called 'boy', my uncle being called "boy", my brother, coming back from Vietnam and being called 'boy'," he said. "I self-ordained myself Mr. T, so the first word out of everybody's mouth is 'Mr.'"

 

He had a long career as a bouncer, then as a bodyguard, and then appeared on television in an "America's Toughest Bouncer" competition, where he was scouted by Sylvester Stallone.

From then on he was given a role in the film Rocky III, and subsequently a starring role in the television series The A Team. His iconic image and quote "I pity the fool" have ensured his long-lasting legacy. 

 

As for our shrine, the genesis happened years ago. HomeGrown's owner Lori was hanging out in a bar with friends, and she had Mr T on the brain all night. After listening to Lori talk about him for hours, her friends all gag-gifted her Mr. T memorabilia for her birthday that year. 

From this collection of items, an idea was born; Lori is a massive fan of dive bars and it's common for such establishments to house shrines to beloved celebrities. She decided to build her own shrine to Mr. T, which began with those birthday gifts and has continued to grow over the years. 

We're proud that local folks associate us with Mr T. and hope to continue to expand our collection!

Remember: Be somebody... or be somebody's fool.