Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017 | 2 a.m.
Las Vegas residents Lisa Hughes and Robyn Brewington woke up Monday morning to discover their hometown was now the site of the largest mass shooting in modern American history. They decided to help out in a way few others could: by clothing their grieving friends and neighbors in expressions of love and support for Las Vegas.
"Three days before we opened the store, the shooting had happened down in Orlando," said Brewington, who co-owns a Big Frog custom T-shirt store franchise in Southern Las Vegas with Hughes.
At the time, the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, with 49 people dead and dozens injured, was the largest mass shooting in modern history. In response, the pair created a T-shirt, offering a message of hope and support after the attack.
"We never dreamt that we would have that opportunity again, here in our very own hometown", Brewington said.
Monday morning, as the news of 58 people shot and killed during the Route 91 Harvest country music festival sank in, the pair knew they wanted to do the same thing for Las Vegas they had for Orlando.
"We wanted to give back to the community, we're not doing this for any kind of profit," just covering their costs, Brewington said. "We really just want to give this to the community and give them hope and inspiration and uplift them in this incredible time of need."
The response is similar to the #SBStrong T-shirts sold after the 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino. Sales of those shirts eventually brought in more than $46,000 for the Inland Empire United Way.
"We both knew quite a few people who were there," at the concert, Brewington said. "We know quite a few people who were injured ..."
"First responders," Hughes said.
"... people who were at the concert," Brewington said. "If you live in Las Vegas, everybody knows somebody who was there, who was impacted by it."
The store is looking to donate between 250 and 500 #VegasStrong and #PrayForVegas T-shirts, according to Hughes, giving the shirts to any Vegas residents who stop by their shop and ask.
Except for shipping costs, all of the expenses have come out of the co-owners' pockets so far. Hughes and Brewington have turned down compensation when offered, but have put a bucket on the counter for donations for local charities.
Only about a dozen shirts were left as of Tuesday afternoon.
"Everybody's had a story that's come in," Brewington said. "It's, uh, it's been emotional."
And that means Brewington and Hughes are offering something else to the community: someone to mourn with.
"They leave hugging us," Hughes said.
"We become their de facto therapists," Brewington said.
