David Salinas and his creative partners at 9INE 5IVE 6EIS grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of the 1990s. 

The touchstones of their RGV era included listening to B104 on the radio and shopping for groceries at Carl’s Supermarkets. The nostalgia connected to their youth is one reason for starting a merchandising company that celebrates the region’s culture and history. The 956 as in the region’s area code has become a catchphrase term for Millennials and younger generations growing up in the Valley. 

The snappy moniker is recast in 9INE 5IVE 6EIS. Salinas, a Mission native, believes the Valley should have a higher national and state profile beyond negative portrayals. He sees a “a lack of celebration about the identity of the Valley.” Salinas hopes his company’s RGV imagery on hats, t-shirts, tote bags and other merchandising can boost “the pride of being from the Valley.”

“We saw a vacuum, so we started a business that expresses a cultural identity of the Valley,” he said. 

‘Magic & Style’

Salinas, Devin Garcia and Andy Pena each bring content creation and design skills to their McAllen-based company.

They are longtime friends and have other business interests that at times overlap with 9INE 5IVE 6EIS. Their talents in technology and creative energy are reflective of their Millennial-era upbringing. They are bound together by those generational traits along with a love of the place where they grew up. The mission of their company seeks to bring “magic, style and just the right amount of nostalgia to the Valley that any local will claim as their own.” 

Those words on the company’s website are affirmed by Salinas in expressing a wish for greater value to be placed on the uniqueness of the region’s history and culture.

“We’ve had a real rich history, but that’s not the narrative you often hear,” he said. “It should be more celebrated. That’s part of what we’re trying to do.”

Salinas says one line of his company’s products is “vintage Valley.” One t-shirt design features Gorilla George’s, a favorite party venue in McAllen for children’s parties and events in the 1980s and 1990s. Another design harkens back to the Goldie & Gus swimming lessons offered for years by the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department. Then there’s a t-shirt showcasing the flash-in-the-pan Super Splash Adventure Park in Edinburg, which lasted all of three years, from 1998 to 2000.

Salinas calls it “exploring spaces and brands” of a RGV that continues to develop and evolve. The region has moved on from some iconic places and venues even as those who knew them treasure their memories.

RGV Pride

Beyond the nostalgic vibes, there’s straight-up Valley pride in the 9INE 5IVE 6EIS collection.

A light brown t-shirt with a red outline of the Valley’s four counties declares, “Born And Raised” over the image. A white shirt with large black numbers says, “956” with the word “mode” in cursive underneath the figures. One of the more interesting designs reflects the intersection of Millennial tastes and RGV culture. It features a t-shirt with San Benito’s Freddy Fender and the title of one of his hit songs – “Before The Teardrop Falls.” The Millennial twist are the words “The Cure” above Fender’s image in a simultaneous recognition of the British rock band and a Valley legend.

“There’s a plurality of voices,” said Salinas, expressing an interest to learn more about Valley history beyond his generation’s understanding. “One of our objectives is to get people to start asking questions and include more voices in our storytelling.”

Be it old motor hotels or ballrooms that hosted quinceaneras, 9INE 5IVE 6EIS wants their creativity to bolster RGV-centric pride. 

“We should value our identity,” Salinas said. “There’s a pride we all feel in being from the Valley.”

For a look at the company’s collection, go to 9INE5IVE6EIS.com, with more images by the same name on Instagram.