Franchisee Stories
From team member to owner, Ryan Graham’s local passion for custom tees is driving the next chapter of Big Frog T-Shirts & More in the Beaver State.
Ryan Graham first started with Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More in Beaverton, Oregon, back in 2011, when he and longtime friend Ryan Reif went in together as partners. After more than a decade of working in the store, Graham recently took over full ownership and made the move to relocate the store to West Linn.
"He was at that point where he was ready to move on and I thought it was a good opportunity to take it," Graham said. "He offered it to me at a good deal and I felt like I couldn't pass it up."
Now, he sees the move as both a personal milestone and a new beginning for the business. It’s a chance to carry forward the store’s history while also making it his own.
With the ownership change came the opportunity for a fresh start. Rising rent and the challenges of running the Beaverton store with two owners made the timing right for a reset. "I took a little more hands-on approach," he said. “I like to be a little more out in the community, do a little more with Big Frog's involvement.”
The move to West Linn gives Graham a more centralized location and the chance to grow his customer base. He sees it as the best way to reach the store’s full potential. "I think it will be a great reset where we can continue with our current customer base, expand from there, and take off," he said.
For Graham, being involved locally is one of the best parts of running Big Frog. With kids now active in school and sports, he’s finding more ways to connect through teams, schools and local groups. “I used to coach for a long time, which helps," he said. "That's helping me to expand that way, by getting involved with the schools’ stores. That's been a really big thing."
From online stores for schools to partnerships with small businesses, he sees the store’s role as more than just custom apparel — it’s about community. Graham believes this approach will help keep Big Frog West Linn top of mind with families and organizations alike.
As the new official owner, Graham wants to strengthen the business, stay engaged in the community, and balance work with family life. Moving the store closer to home is a big part of that plan.
"With being just a little bit closer, it's going to cut it to like a third [of the time]," Graham said. "So it gets me out and involved a lot more with our partners with embroidery, our partners with screen printing and our schools."
He believes Big Frog’s supportive culture and hands-on franchise team will help him achieve those goals in the years ahead. Graham is confident the future of the store will be stronger with this new direction.
Looking back on his Big Frog journey, Graham says the franchise’s family-oriented culture sets it apart. He values the support he’s received and believes new owners will find it a strong foundation for success. "They have so many people to diversify their help to us, which I love," he said. "The individual coaching and the Frogathons are great, and just being able to reach out anytime. I want to step up more and use that to my advantage."
For him, owning Big Frog is about more than making custom t-shirts — it’s about building a business that fits into the fabric of the community.
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