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homerun · 10-04-2011, 09:08 PM

Have a solsun Tshirt that was Owned but the creator of Solsun. Anyone have an idea of what it's worth?

**Evets** · 10-04-2011, 11:40 PM

What's Solsun?

**Revvy** · 10-04-2011, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evets

What's Solsun?

Bell's Oberon before Larry Bell had to change it's name to Oberon.

Quote:

Death of Solsun, birth of Oberon
In the mid-1990s all the sororities at Western Michigan University for fall rush used the logo of Bell's Solsun beer on their T-shirts - around 600 of them, according to Bell's Brewing Co. owner Larry Bell.

Bell wanted to protect his logo so he filed for copyright protection. The Mexican brewing company Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, which was started in 1890, found out about the Bell's brand and sued over naming rights because it had a product called El Sol (The Sun). The Mexican company let Bell keep the logo, but the name of Solsun had to be changed.

In 1996, Bell selected the name Oberon, referencing the Fairy King in Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He said it was a fun name and also had six letters, like Solsun.

In addition, Bell played the part of Oberon in sixth grade. In the play, Oberon gives his wife a potion that causes her to fall in love.

"I pulled it off great and I still see Queen Titania. She lives in Chicago," Bell said.

- John Liberty, Kalamazoo Gazette

The shirt is probably worth as much as any t-shirt.

Larry Bell is not exactly Bono or anyone.

KayaBrew · 10-05-2011, 12:22 AM

Bono's a douche.

**Homercidal** · 10-05-2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KayaBrew

Bono's a douche.

Some have said Larry Bell is a douche...

**Revvy** · 10-05-2011, 01:15 PM

I'd be more interested in the shirt if it was once owned by one of the sorority girls. Especially if she was busty, had red hair, and had had at least one bisexual experience while wearing it.

**Pappers_** · 10-05-2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revvy

I'd be more interested in the shirt if it was once owned by one of the sorority girls. Especially if she was busty, had red hair, and had had at least one bisexual experience while wearing it.

I don't know Larry Bell, but it is possible that he has man-boobs, red hair and is bi . . . does that work?

**passedpawn** · 10-05-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappers_

I don't know Larry Bell, but it is possible that he has man-boobs, red hair and is bi . . . does that work?

I had a nice conversation with Larry Bell in a bar once. Decent guy. Yes, I think he had some man-boobs. Married (at least when he started his business he was), but I guess he could still be bi. Not a redhead. Started out as a homebrewer in his basement (when, as he says, homebrewing was still illegal in MI). Cops came to the door for something unrelated once while he was brewing and his wife got spooked and told him to go pro or quit. Something like that.

I'll give you 5$ for the shirt.

homerun · 10-06-2011, 01:17 PM

Larry bell is in fact a douche bag and an asshole. He was not the creator of Oberon. Rob skalla was. Rob died a couple years ago but before he died he came up with two hearted ale and a couple others. And it was Molson that sued bells because the name was to close to there's. I have a Solsun shirt that rob owned. I am a family friend to robs family and I live in Kalamazoo.

**AdamWiz** · 11-03-2011, 11:20 AM

I thought Rob came up with just two-hearted, not Oberon. I didn't really know him, but we had a few mutual friends and I went to a couple parties at his house. Word is he was paid handsomely by Larry for the two hearted recipe, and his house sure showed it. That place was freakin sweet - even had a custom kitchen complete with draft tower coming out of the counter. As for Larry Bell, I have heard others say that he is not really a good guy. Not really sure why, he has seemed pretty nice the couple times I have talked with him. He even came over to my friend's house and partied with us after eccentric day a few years back. And I don't think that homebrewing was illegal in Michigan - I think the story is that he was worried about the cops because he had been selling his homebrew to friends before being licensed.