Raygun: The Greatest Store in The Universe

Raygun, a recent addition to downtown Davenport, touts itself as the “greatest store in the universe.”  Drawing on its 1950s Sci-Fi, B -flick kitsch and ray gun-toting kitten, it may just be the most audacious t-shirt and souvenir shop in the Quad Cities region. Prior visits to Raygun’s campus-town store in Iowa City provided an introduction to their witty and wacky vibe.

With a range of cheeky Quad Cities merchandise, including “Davenport: We Eat Trucks Like You for Breakfast,” “Moline! Moline! Moline! I’m Beggin’ You Not to Take My Man,” and “So local, I still call it the Mark,” one can’t help but laugh a little at ourselves while checking out the QC themed merchandise.  “The Quad Cities: See How We Cut our Pizza” themed towel is on my need-to-purchase list for my mother-in-law who can’t get her head around how we slice it in rectangular strips. And the “Quad Cities invented Taco Pizza: What has your City done?”  helps put us on the map.

Putting us on the map are also slogans that speak to our local geography, “Quad Cities:Yup, the River Runs East to West,” and our “Midwest nice” attitude, “Quad Cities: Twice as Nice as the Twin Cities”. If t-shirts aren’t your thing, there are plenty of dish towels, stickers, key chains, postcards and other items to choose from.

Raygun is also known for its sass, sarcasm and its pondering and provoking forms of expression.  Its messages are known for busting stereotypes and moving beyond the mainstream.  Raygun merchandise has a point of view and the business also supports many local causes, including local libraries and the recent “Gettin' Figge with It” t-shirt in support of our fabulous art museum.

To say Raygun is unique is an understatement.  You’ve got to see it for yourself at 210 E. 2nd Street, Davenport.  Whether you're a visitor or a Quad Citizen, plan to spend some time parsing out the humor beneath those bold, block capital letters and two tone prints.  Plan for additional time deciding which slogans need to go home with you to carry our QC message here in our community and beyond.

For hours, online shopping and the backstory of Raygun, visit www.raygunsite.com.  

Lisa Powell Williams is a retired librarian with a passion for all things Quad Cities.