Half full. Smile. Laugh. Life is good.

These are just a few philosophies adorning the T-shirts, mugs, baseball caps and other merchandise at Geneva’s newest clothing store, Geneva Jake’s - Life is Good, 407 S. Third St.

The Life is Good brand features a smiling stick figure named Jake and his dog, Rocket.

“The brand spreads optimism,” said Don Marski, who opened the store with his wife, Jane.

It is their second Geneva Jake’s store. They opened their first one in Lake Geneva, Wis., in April.

When the Geneva location in Dodson Place became available, he and Jane decided to act.

The Life is Good brand was created by two East Coast brothers, Bert and John Jacobs. In 1989, the two designed their first T-shirt. For five years, they hawked shirts in the streets of Boston and going door-to-door in college dorms. They lived on peanut butter and jelly, they slept in their van and showered when they could.

They were about to give up on their dream when they printed up 48 Jake shirts with the mantra “Life is good” for a street fair in Cambridge, Mass. By noon, all 48 shirts were gone.

The duo didn’t look back. Soon they began introducing Jake to local retailers. Demand for the product soared; and the brothers branched out across the United States. Soon independently owned retail stores began opening to sell the Life is Good brand.

The Marskis sold the Life is Good products at their Hannah’s Home Accents store in Antioch.

“It did so well that we jumped at the opportunity to open up our own,” Don Marski said.

The Marskis hired Liz Fahey, who worked at the company’s headquarters in Boston, to manage the Geneva store. Originally from Brookfield, Fahey is glad to be back in the area.

“Home is where the heart is,” she said.

She enjoys working for the company.

“People are naturally drawn to Life is Good,” she said.

Nancy Kluesner, territory manager for Life is Good, said the stores receive letters from people who have had their lives changed by the company’s positive motto.

“It’s all about appreciating what you’ve got,” she said. “We have it so good, just to be alive every day.”

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, cookies and cupcakes were served, along with plates of peanut butter sandwiches in homage to Bert and John Jacobs.

Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns welcomed the Marskis to the city.

“I believe life is going to be ‘gooder,’” he said.