#tom grennell

[kimpossibooty]

So since we reached my goal on Patreon, here’s the first of monthly Dollar Aisle Hauls!!

[tomsretales]

Here's the Q&A video, wherein you all sent me Qs to A! Enjoy the As and let me know if you have more Qs!

[teepublic]

We got to talk to the brain behind Target ReTales

His name is Tom and he’s a delight! Read our chat below and check out his store here

Hi Tom! Tell us a little about yourself! I'm a twenty year old guy who spent all his life in California, now lives in Virginia, and wastes too much time on the internet. Where did you get the idea for Target Retales? What made you decide to post it online? Well I got hired at Target, which was exciting since I really needed a job and was really crossing my fingers on this one, and my first day just had so many weird and unexpected people and things and events? I wanted to share it with a few people in the hopes of making someone else laugh, so I posted some highlights to Tumblr, then it just blew up. People kept asking for more and I figured that as long as interesting things kept happening, I'd keep sharing them, and luckily they still haven't stopped happening. Eventually this whole thing got big enough that I branched out and started social media just for my entire Target experience. How did you find out you went viral? What was your reaction? Has anything changed at all? It was sort of a weird thing. First I got a message that it had gotten huge on Imgur, which frankly was a site I had barely heard of at that point. Then a few days later I was sent a link to a Refinery29 article on it! Then I started getting requests for interviews, more articles were written, I got a job offer, all sorts of ridiculous things I never would have expected and still can't fully comprehend. It was incredibly exciting but also pretty overwhelming. Nothing has really changed yet, but there's something in the works that definitely has the potential to shake things up a little. What's your favorite Target story? My favorite kind of stories that happen a lot are the ones with kids and stickers, but my favorite specific one so far would probably be the Mountain Dew man. From the two carts overflowing with Mountain Dew, to his outfit, to his announcement about getting drunk on it, to the way he practically bell-kicked and skipped away, everything was just completely surreal and I feel like a changed man. I see that you're really active (and funny!) on a lot of different social channels, how did that start? I started on Tumblr in 2012 just because a few friends had it and it just became an easy way for me to find funny things or share my own not-funny jokes. I then started using other sites over the years, but essentially I just use social media to waste my time and try to convince myself and others that I'm funny. I'm still working on the last part. I really love what you're doing on Youtube! How did you start your channel? What made you decide to start vlogging? Any advice for aspiring vloggers out there? I appreciate that! This is actually the... third channel I've had? Both of the other two flopped after my first video, as I basically had no idea what I was doing in any way and wound up discouraging myself. This channel actually has a very unique origin story... My first video (which is now unlisted) was just a dramatic reading of a story by Chuck Tingle. The title was Space Raptor Butt Invasion. I'm still not sure how I feel about that being my first big splash on my channel, but I've really picked up since then. Really I've just always been into performing and I love to make people smile and laugh, and YouTube is really just perfect for me in that sense because I'm totally in control of what I make and how I make it! I'd still say I'm very much aspiring myself, but really just start putting things out there! The only way to make content you like is to make content. Then you can look at what you've made, decide what you like and what you didn't, and keep working towards making what you like! What's your favorite TeePublic design that's not your own? What product are you most looking forward to seeing your designs on? What's the next Target ReTale that you're planning on having a design for? I got the Love Wins design as a phone case, and I just ordered a Jellyspace shirt, but I honestly love way too many designs on this site to choose just one. I've got a shirt with my design on the way, but if I saw my design on a mug or phone case, I'd just lose my mind. I'm currently working with my artist on a Cat Lady design, straight out of "Met a woman referred to only as The Cat Lady. She asked if I wanted her to buy me a keychain from Ross. I told her I had no keys. She nodded solemnly and walked away, whispering their exact location inside Ross, “just in case" and I can't wait to see how it turns out! Any other projects in the works? I've actually got something incredibly exciting that might be coming up! I don't want to say too much about it yet until I'm certain it's going to come through, but in my opinion, this is bigger than everything so far combined. Where can your fans follow you (online)? Glad I saw that you said online before I went ahead and sent you my address and schedule. YouTube: youtube.com/tomgrennell

Tumblr: kimpossibooty.tumblr.com or targetretales.tumblr.com

Twitter: @tomgrennell or @targetretales

Instagram: tomgrennell

Facebook: Target Retales

Snapchat: tomgrengren Basically I'm everywhere, regardless of if people want me there or not

Okay, quickfire:

Favorite color

Blue!

Favorite movie

Changes all the time, but right now, Deadpool!

Favorite tv show

Bob's Burgers!

Favorite song

Also changes all the time, but I can't stop listening to Dodie Clark's cover of Into You!

Favorite book

Probably Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or Maze Runner!

Favorite food

Lumpia!

Favorite holiday

My birthday! Or Halloween!

Cats or dogs?

Both!

Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings?

Harry Potter all the way!

Target or Walmart? (just kidding)

I need to keep my job at least a while longer for the sake of my blog, so Target!

Summer or Winter?

Winter!

Rain or snow?

Rain!

New York or LA?

Spent all my life near LA but desperately want to visit New York, so I'll go with that!

Cake or pie?

Pie but I'll eat either if it's put in front of me!

[kimpossibooty]

Wanna hear more about some of my best Target stories? Wanna hear how to win a free shirt? Then this video is for you!