Our Story

The Beginning:

American Duke started out as little more than a class project while I was studying entrepreneurship at the University of Texas.  Off the bat, the name came easy.
 My first inspiration was of course, Duke.  As I said above, he was a buddy, a teacher, and was there for all the important moments in life.  As I continued to work on what American Duke was to be, I began to dig deeper into that name - Duke.  What is/are Dukes?  Duke's are royalty.  They're charming, smart, and all   around charismatic, not unlike our Duke.  But our company also had to capture the grit, lifestyle, patriotism, love, and spirit of our home of Texas, here in the Grand Ol' United States of America.  Thus, American Duke was born.

 

The Process:

Starting a business is never easy.  There are so many lessons waiting to be learned, but resources, books, and mentors to learn from.  There are days of uncertainty that lead to great triumphs.  And there are frustrating times that must be overcome to get to the days of excitement - the days of new products, of innovative ideas, and of meeting new customers.
Since 2017, the years have been spent having a lot of fun, learning more than we ever thought we would, and growing this still young, but maturing company.  We couldn't do it without all the customers who visit us online, in person, purchase our products, and share and support our brand.

 

So, What is American Duke?

Simply put, American Duke is a lifestyle brand inspired by man’s best friend, a dog. Specifically, a Chocolate Lab named Duke. Duke was my buddy for almost 14 years of my life. And as I grow older, I realize he was also one of my greatest teachers, as every dog really is.
Duke taught us how to run wild, enjoy the outdoors, cuddle up next to a warm fire, really, REALLY enjoy a good steak with some whiskey, chase our own tails on occasion, and most importantly, always keep our tails wagging.
American Duke is a brand for those who drink whiskey, enjoy the outdoors, and wag their tails.  If that's you, join in the uniqueness that is American Duke.  I promise that you'll find our products to be of the highest quality, the best fit and feel, and most importantly, of our own unique brand identity.

 

God Bless Texas, God Bless the USA, God Bless You.

 

All the best,
 
 
Alexander T. Blackburn