Clam Power Rocks Sayville Again

Anyone who has lived in Sayville for a few years knows the power of the clam. Recent transplants might be wondering what those cute little clams with feet are doing all over shirts, hats and car bumper stickers.

Well, it's called Clam Power and like most everything in Sayville, there is a story behind its origin. The idea for Clam Power came from Steve Kuhn, a local Sayville clammer who has been clamming on the Great South Bay for 40 years. It was created in 1971. Kuhn said it was while he was attending North Carolina State University as a design major when the idea for a Clam Power shirt was first created.

Back in the '70s, everyone was touting Flower Power or Black Power and that's when the idea hit him. Kuhn would return home every summer to clam as a means to pay for his college. As a way to pay respect to the bay and to capture the turbulent times in the early '60s and '70s, Kuhn came up with the Clam Power T-shirt. The T-shirt became a success among local clammers and eventually spread all across Long Island. But as the clamming business began to fade, so did the Clam Power T-shirt.

According to Kuhn, who was displaying all his Clam Power products this year at both the Summerfest and Seafood Festival, there were copyright issues that caused the Clam Power logo to fade out for the last three decades. But those issues are now resolved and Kuhn and Clam Power are making a comeback in the Sayville community and beyond.

Many people still connect and remember the Clam Power T-shirt from the '70s. On his website, Kuhn said, "What better way to represent The Great South Bay, the environment, and local clam diggers. Remember, Clam Power was created by a bayman and not a businessman. So you can do your part to represent the Great South Bay, local clam diggers, and a healthy environment by bringing Clam Power back."

Short and long sleeved t-shirts, sweatshirts, kids shirts, tank tops, baseball hats and bumper stickers are all available for purchase on the website at www.clampower.org.