Who's Who of Sayville

Patch caught up with Steve Kuhn, a local Sayville clammer who makes his living on the Great South Bay. Kuhn talks about his creation – Clam Power – as it marks its 40th anniversary.

What is your connection to Sayville?

I grew up in Bohemia, but have lived in Sayville for 42 years. I love living here with my wife, Pat, and our two sons, Rory and Liam, who both attended Sayville High School.

Tell the readers the story of Clam Power and how it came to be.

I came up with the Clam Power t-shirt back in the early '70s. The Bay was flourishing at that time, both with clams and clam diggers. I was working during the summer, clamming and going to design school, and I had just learned how to silk screen. Back then there were all kinds of protest movements going on – Power to the People, Flower Power, and so on.

As a young student I saw these things going on around me. One day, while sitting at my desk, it just hit me – why not Clam Power? I drew a few designs and liked the one of the clam with his fist raised in defiance. I wanted to make a shirt that made people feel good about themselves but also represented the strength of the clamming industry and the health of the environment.

The shirts were a hit, but as the clams and clam diggers began to fade, so did the t-shirt. Now there are hardly any clammers left on the bay. A once vibrant industry is all but gone.

About five years ago, my sons and I decided to dust off the old silk screen and start making t-shirts again. There was a movie out called “Diggers” that happened to be playing at the Sayville Movie Theater. The manager was nice enough to let us set up a table in the lobby. Before the movie started, we sold two or three shirts, but when it let out we were mobbed with buyers. It seemed the Clam Power t-shirt brought back a lot of good memories.

To make a long story short, Clam Power has been a lot of fun. It has brought awareness to the Bay and the plight of the clamming industry. Some of the proceeds are donated to the Nature Conservancy to help reseed the bay with clams. We have sent these shirts to almost every state in the country and to countries as far away as Afghanistan, bringing back fond memories to many people.

What do you like most about Sayville and what do you hope to see in its future? 

Not only is Sayville a great town, it is also a beautiful place to live and raise a family. I do almost all of my Christmas shopping in Sayville and try to stay away from the malls as much as possible. The shops are cozy and personable as are the restaurants. I especially enjoy Crickets and its owner, Pete. I hope Sayville keeps its hometown appeal and stays just the way it is!

For more information, log onto Steve’s website, www.clampower.org.