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The Ballad of the Working Merchant
432 Plays1 year ago
This week on the show: Trad Dad, rakish entrepreneur, founder of Junior’s of Philadelphia fame, all around solid dude, Glenn Au. People love him, fish fear him. Our convo gave insights into the formulation of Junior’s and what it’s like to dive in head first, learning through experience, taking a stance and believing in it, living in your clothes, exclusively wearing brown suede shoes, and many more tangents.
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Transcript
Introduction to December Broadcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Apocalypse Duds yet again. I'm one of your hosts, Connor Nunez. And I'm Matt Smith. And we welcome you today to December. This is our first December broadcast.
December Challenges and Christmas Music
00:00:16
Speaker
Things are recorded a little out of order. So anyway, arguably the worst month of the year. And so we hope whatever you must endure, you persevere.
00:00:30
Speaker
And I don't know. I don't have much to report. The kids are all crazy from Christmas and like 19 days, 19 days, Mr. Connor, 19 days. And it's like like in a horror movie, you know, and they're like seven days. Yeah. But they're talking about 19 days till Christmas, baby. I mean, I remember, you know.
00:00:53
Speaker
I remember being excited that I'm like, okay, I've only got 12 days until I can be the fuck out of this place for two weeks. And that was a mystical time as a child. I do have to come clean and say, as much as I hate Christmas music,
00:01:14
Speaker
Thank you, Mom, and the Carpenters Christmas Album. Not that she plays them all year or anything, but my mom is a very, very, and my family in general are big Christmas people. This might be the first year that hearing Christmas music in a thrift store has not driven me up a goddamn wall because that means I don't... I was gonna say, you're growing up.
00:01:41
Speaker
because that means I don't have to listen to the one chain of thrifts that I go to nearly every day's contemporary Christian music playlist for a month or a month and a half because they started playing it like you know some of the choruses to those songs Matt I know you do I definitely do when I recite them absolutely fucking not but uh
00:02:06
Speaker
man because you know some of them are really fucking funny oh yeah they they certainly are but i i've said it before maybe on this podcast i don't remember uh i'll say it again if you ever need information out of me and need some waterboarding material
00:02:25
Speaker
Modern contemporary Christian music is a great way to get me to tell you fucking anything. Because I will do anything for it to get that shit turned off. Jesus fuck.
00:02:39
Speaker
Yeah, just the worst, like, the worst possible music on the planet. I will be not be taking questions on that. Yeah, fuck Christmas music also, but I'll take it so bad. Oh, they're all fucked. Yeah, they're all terrible. Yeah, I don't I don't have to agree with the Grinch.
00:03:04
Speaker
Yeah, I am a Grinch. I own the Grinch status. Oh, shit. I was gonna buy another Grinch costume. Oh, yeah, I'm gonna do it. You should. Yeah, I think I gotta do it. I gotta do it.
Matt's Weekend Adventures
00:03:18
Speaker
I don't really have much else to report either.
00:03:22
Speaker
had a crazy long weekend with the two day markets and then I went out to a show at my buddy Matt's store, shout out factors collection, math band no head played and they were fucking sick and then
00:03:42
Speaker
this other like I honestly like I've heard this band's name a million times I have not checked them out until very recently they're called up check and they were fucking insane like they're kind of I told Connor this like
00:04:04
Speaker
I don't want to sound, I don't mean this to sound pejorative, but they're like, they have hooks, but they're a hardcore band. So they're like kind of poppy and they're just fucking nuts. Like kids went crazy for this show. And, uh, yeah, just check out no head and check out up Chuck. Uh, no head is a little bit more in the, I guess, shoe gaze kind of vein, um, or not shoe gaze, like indie gaze. I don't know what the fuck to call it. Just good ass rock and roll.
00:04:34
Speaker
But yeah, that's that's been the highlight of my past week. So, yeah, I.
Interview with Glenn Awe Jr.
00:04:45
Speaker
We have a good show coming up. We do. We do. With Matt's pal, Glenn, all of juniors in Philadelphia. So, yeah, this was kind of our first time talking to someone
00:05:03
Speaker
I don't know, talking to someone on this end of the business, right? Like with a shop. So it was interesting. And he's actually working the shop while we're interviewing him. So it's gritty. It's as gritty as this show gets.
00:05:22
Speaker
Right. Right. Yeah. Glenn and Glenn is an old homie. We worked together a few years back, um, for a store that will not be named and we do not name on the podcast cause fuck them. But he is. Yeah. He's a kind of like old stock or not old, but millennial old stock tragedy worked at O'Connell's.
00:05:48
Speaker
you know, has been in the industry a while, and juniors does some great shit. Mostly manufactured in the US, I believe, and just a cool take that kind of melds more modern things with more traditional things. And it was a good conversation, great conversation. We talked a little bit about, you know, kind of his coming up,
00:06:17
Speaker
what he was around as a child. Juniors is an homage to his uncle. And yeah, he's got a lot of experience and it was really fun chatting with Glenn.
Glenn's Family Life and Business Success
00:06:36
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
00:06:38
Speaker
But anyway, thank you everyone for listening. If you would like to support the show and appreciate what we do, we'll take it. No, no pressure. Connor's Venmo is at Connor dash Fowler. He has not changed it yet. His PayPal is Connor Fowler at gmail.com.
00:07:06
Speaker
And yeah, stay tuned to hear our chats. And again, thanks for listening. We appreciate you. In our top secret lair on our private island, we bring you today, the soft shouldered Sultan, Trad Dad, the ever so fly fisherman, Titan of Tailoring,
00:07:34
Speaker
The giant of juniors. Ha ha. Glenn Awe Jr. Oh my God. Maybe this is bad intel as well. Thanks for coming. All accurate. Yeah, of course. It's amazing to do it. I'm happy. It's glad I haven't talked to Matt in a long time. And this is our first time meeting Connor. So it's great.
00:07:59
Speaker
Yeah, and they'll do it on tape. I have definitely sung your praises to Connor in our friendship and during the show. I feel like I reference you at least once a week or something. That's amazing, man. Whoa. I do have to claim the ever so fly fisherman was all me, all fucking me. I was going to say, this was like a mad copy.
00:08:30
Speaker
Matt takes Matt takes credit where it looks good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When when Connor says some dumb shit, I have to distance myself and it's a bad joke that runs away. I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying, Connor, you do you. And so you say you say you're about equity, Matt. I want equal responsibility for jokes.
00:08:58
Speaker
We'll get into this in the intro. How you doing, bud? I'm great, man. All is well. No complaints. Just, um... Well, I mean, you know, like, there's minor complaints. I'm just, like, in line, just, like, tired. You know, we have two kids. One that is months old now, so...
00:09:25
Speaker
Um, so yeah, so anyone with kids knows that vibe and then Connor, I mean, you work with kids. So like, you totally know that vibe. I get to wash my hands of them at the end of the day. Literally and figuratively. The best thing about other people's kids is you can give them back. Um, I am not a fan of children. Uh, although yours are adorable and I like my friends' kids.
00:09:53
Speaker
But yeah, don't want to have any responsibility whatsoever for them. So both of you are doing much better than me in this respect. It's wild. Yeah, I mean, I was up at 4.45 a.m. So yeah, see, that's crazy. It's so much responsibility. Yeah.
00:10:19
Speaker
It is, but then like she took a nap before I went into the shop today. And like when I walked, when she woke up from the nap, I was still home. So to like walk in there when she was waking up is just like, I don't know. Then you're like, you forget about four 45 for a little bit, right? There's just nothing like that. So yeah. Yeah. How was, uh, how's business been this fall? It's been great, man. Um,
00:10:50
Speaker
just like, yeah, I don't know, like, I saw some like silly meme the other day was like about like stopping and like having like a gratitude moment. And it just like, I mean, that hits me. It happens all the time. I mean, that happens a lot in the shop or like I'll go home and like tell Angela, who's my wife, about whatever about like people coming in or like people buying in like it's still
00:11:16
Speaker
It still hits me. Fuck yeah. And buying stuff from this shop. Yeah, it's just incredible. Hell yeah. It almost validates in certain ways, but that constant appreciation for it, I feel interconnected with this weird little world that we're all a part of.
00:11:43
Speaker
Oh, yeah, yeah, I just like the tagline I always say to her is like, I think it's working. And you know, we're going on like year three now of the business, right? She's like, Yes, it's working. I'm like, Yeah, but I think it's really working now. Yeah, it's just incredible. So it's really special. Yeah, we're not gonna get ahead of ourselves. We'll get into this. This quote unquote business that we're talking about, which is great. But yeah,
00:12:16
Speaker
I was just gonna say the Instagram really speaks for itself. Incredible, incredible, just really, wow. Thank you. That's what I have to say about you. Yeah, yeah. Like, spoiler alert, Glenn and I worked together in the past and is like a person that I really connected with both as like,
00:12:41
Speaker
human and also like kind of I don't know kind of like a visual type of
00:12:48
Speaker
or a visual similarity that we both shared and like us and our friend Daniel Delatunji, who will be on there eventually. Like, I don't know, like for a very short period of time, it was some of the best creative output that I feel like the three of us have shared. And yeah. It's so true. Yeah, yeah. And like that is to say that Gwen's eye and his
00:13:17
Speaker
just like his overall like perception of this little sphere of clothing. It is almost unrivaled in my opinion.
00:13:29
Speaker
Not to talk you up too much. Very flattering, Matt. Very flattering. There's a whole thing to get into with that, with Matt and Dan. Yeah, maybe we'll get there. We'll see. But with the Instagram, I do want to shout out, so Damien, who is my photographer for the shop, and also my friend. He's really become a good friend, which is amazing.
00:13:53
Speaker
He does a lot of the photography and now I also have someone who is in the photos who is Ontario Armstrong and it's just like opened up a whole new avenue of like yeah there's great things in here and like I want people to see them and it gets harder and harder as like things get busier in my life to like be the model also I feel like that probably kind of got boring for a lot of people.
Buffalo Roots and Pandemic Moves
00:14:18
Speaker
So it's nice, like, it's just so great. Like, also, if we're talking about like gratitude, like with customers, like even just the little network you start to form around the business. So like Damien has been around really since like almost day one, you can say like we met up very early when I moved to Philadelphia and like he's just been like,
00:14:38
Speaker
a great partner to have in friendship but also like photography for the shop and then just like someone it's great to be able to like go to someone and talk about you know the the shop or the business itself uh so yeah for sure thank you so you said you moved to philadelphia where are you from
00:15:01
Speaker
So I am from, my wife also is from Buffalo, New York. Um, was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Um, and our family all still lives there. So we go back, um, a little less frequently now, but during the pandemic, we were probably going back like once every three months, which was pretty nice. So, um, so yeah, I lived in Buffalo until, uh, I probably been gone maybe, maybe 10 years now, might be a little less, but something somewhere around there. So, yeah.
00:15:33
Speaker
So you're, I mean, you're quite established in Philly at this point. Yeah. So now I was just telling Angela this the other day, like I can't believe like in February, it'll be, we'll be in Philadelphia four years, which is wild. Like it seems wild. Yeah. Yeah. Like made a pit stop in Atlanta, which is where I met from also Savannah, right? Yep. Yeah. So we, I, so we both went the same path. So Angela went to SCAD and Savannah, uh, the art school there. And I followed her down.
00:16:02
Speaker
Um, so we lived in Savannah for a little while. I worked at a shop there for like a year and a half. And then we went to Atlanta. We were in Atlanta for maybe four years and then moved to Philadelphia in February of 2020. Oh, wow. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Because I remember me, you and Daniel getting like lunch.
00:16:25
Speaker
and then you were gone. Time has had no meaning the past few years for me. It all just seems like one elongated year. And so I'm like, oh yeah, fuck. Yeah, that's just pre-vandemic and holy fuck. Yeah, that's gotta be fun adjusting to a new place in this specific moment in time.
00:16:51
Speaker
It was so wild. Like we missed out on so much in those first couple of years, just as far as like, um, I still feel like we're like learning the city because of that gap, right? Right. Moving here and then not being able to do anything. Um,
00:17:08
Speaker
So yeah, I still feel like people are like, Oh, you've been to this restaurant or whatever. Like, and I'm like, I, like in my mind, we're still, we're like behind because we missed all of that time. So it was crazy. Like we were, we lived here for a month or for four weeks or whatever, three or four weeks normally. And then it's whatever. And you know, the world has never been the same. Right. Right. Uh, but we love it. It's great.
00:17:36
Speaker
Fuck yeah. Yeah. I really do. Philly's a great city. It's my friend Chris Roy's favorite. What's the phrase he always says? I should have prepared for this. But he always says that Philly is the greatest American city in America or something like that. And I would agree. It's a fantastic fucking place. I've never had a bad time in Philly.
00:18:03
Speaker
It's great. I always tell, like my biggest, I always tell people, if Buffalo were a real city, like no knock on door, like I love Buffalo and everyone that knows me knows that, but like if Buffalo had a population of, like Buffalo would be Philadelphia grown up. Right, right. There's like Blue College right here. There's people who have lived here for generations that never left, like
00:18:25
Speaker
But it's also Philadelphia is also a real city like you get the like, you know It's very condensed and congested and like but without being overwhelming. It's yeah, it's so under the radar I think also to like You know for raising a family and like cost of living all of those things like it just hit the perfect spot for us. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, so
00:18:49
Speaker
So Glenn, can you give us a 60-second CV? It doesn't necessarily say how you ended up in Philly, but I think it's going to be important for Led Rock. Yeah.
00:19:08
Speaker
started in Buffalo, especially with my career. So like started working at O'Connell's in Buffalo. That's when we're talking about like more like like menswear industry. Then followed Angela to Savannah where I worked at a little shop down there called John B. Rook. And then I was there for like a year and a half. It was like a year and a half vacation. I always tell people. And then after that, when she graduated, moved to Atlanta, it was just a perfect easy little move like
00:19:35
Speaker
knew I could get a job there, she knew the same, right, we were there for four years. And then, you know, we can get it all. I don't know how into that you want to get about like, you know, Joel Patton and all the dynamic at Stockton. But right, once the writing is on the wall there, Philly had always been on the radar. So we moved here for multiple reasons. One, ultimately, I would say like being closer to family in Buffalo, like now it's a six hour drive.
00:20:02
Speaker
And it's just much easier. So right, right, especially with two kids.
Career Journey and Style Influences
00:20:09
Speaker
All right. Yeah. What if you remember, like, what's the first kind of like piece of clothing or style you can think of that really made an impact on you, like in the in your younger days? Yeah, yeah, this is I mean, this is perfect.
00:20:31
Speaker
It perfectly fits into what like hashtag menswear is and like that whole tumblr era. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah, and Sid Mashburn's double monk straps, I remember was like the first thing where I was like, oh, those are cool. And like, I want those. Right.
00:20:51
Speaker
Now, for argument's sake, I'm happy I never got them. I'm much more... I would happily sell anyone on a single monk as opposed to the double.
00:21:06
Speaker
This is that item where I was like, so I wasn't working in men's clothing yet. And I remember like having, you know, I had like whatever a blog role in my bookmarks of like 10 things I would read or whatever, not daily working at another job. And I just remember seeing his double monk straps. And I was like, wow, those are just those are incredible. So and then and then the Alden tassel like crept in that picture. And that's how I ended up finding O'Connell's and all that. Okay.
00:21:36
Speaker
Okay, so but I mean, there's got to be like, if you're, if you're following someone that posts a picture of a Sid Mashburn double monk, like, like, where did that start? Did you grow up seeing people wearing tailored clothing and you're like, Oh, this is really cool. Oh,
00:21:54
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's two, there's two like major things. I think one is my dad worked in, he was a car salesman. And back then, car salesman wore suits every day. So like, my dad, I mean, my dad had a tie drawer, like in his dresser, like, you know, this was like, I don't know, whatever, a 20 by all foot door that was filled with ties.
00:22:21
Speaker
And he wore a suit every day. So like, I think that just was like kind of ingrained in me in a way, like seeing him in a suit. And then the other is also is my uncle who is the namesake of the shop. You know, he's a junior. So we always called him junior his family. Okay. I couldn't remember who was your uncle or your grandpa.
00:22:44
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, it's my uncle. So his my grandfather's brother, and he he was just always like put together, like always looked great. He also lived in New York. Like I remember going to visit him there and like, he just had this like swagger about him, I guess that like, it was just like something about and then the clothes was like the cherry on top like he just always he like, I'm pretty sure
00:23:10
Speaker
I don't know this for a fact, but I have memories of him showing me how to iron a shirt. That's another thing that's ingrained in my mind that I think had a big impact on liking clothes. I've always liked clothes. I was the kid with the back to school clothing budget. I was going into Abercrombie and Fitch and getting one outfit.
00:23:32
Speaker
And my sister was going into three stores and getting multiple things. And I was like, no, I want this specific, quote, best thing. And I always cared about appearance or perception in that way, too. Hell yeah.
00:23:55
Speaker
I was going to ask about O'Connell's, if you would say a little bit about O'Connell's and then tell us the stuff that you learned there. Yeah, debunk all the myths for everyone. Right. This might be the first O'Connell's mission on this show somehow. I mean, O'Connell's
00:24:19
Speaker
played a massive role in what Juniors is, my personal style, my style evolution, I would say.
00:24:33
Speaker
I like to go way back to the beginning then is like, I remember like finding out about Alden. This was like, this would be like a subset of like the Sid Mashburn double month was like finding out what like Alden was. And I was like, Oh, that's incredible. And I remember like, I remember looking Alden up and I like found, and I like found out about O'Connell and I was like, Oh, this store like in my city has Alden. Like that's pretty wild. And I was like the tassel loafer. I was like the tassel loafers incredible.
00:24:59
Speaker
Um, so I like, I found out about them that way, but I never like went, I never like went directly there. Like I wasn't like, Oh, I'm going to go here. But then one day I was like in the neighborhood where they are. And I don't even know how, but it happened. Like stumble in there. And I was just like,
00:25:18
Speaker
I didn't know what I was in at that moment, but then when I realized I was like, oh, this is the place with the Alden and like, yeah, I mean, it was just, it's just incredible. So then I remember like when I was done with this job.
00:25:33
Speaker
I was at, um, I was like, well, I like clothes. So let me like, I was in retail before, like I've always been in retail. So I was like, well, I like clothes. So let me, let me just change gears from electronics retail, which I was doing to clothing retail. Um, and like, like anyone, like didn't know like what I was going to do like after school or whatever. So I was like, yeah, we'll just go like do this clothing retail thing.
00:25:59
Speaker
So I remember I went in this is what I was already starting to like, get my feet wet and close like I remember I had an LL bean gray flannel suit.
00:26:10
Speaker
Um, that I would break up and wear the coat separately and like, you know, J crew, like Ludlow trousers, like all of these things. And I remember going in there and bringing my resume in there, um, and gave it to Ethan Huber, who's one of the owners. Um, and you know, they call me back for an interview and like, I was in like, you know, it was, uh, maybe 22 or something like that. Um,
00:26:39
Speaker
And yeah, started like part time. And it just like, the synopsis of what I always give people is like, I went in there wearing like LL Bean, like suit and J. Crew trousers and walked out wearing Alden shoes, hurtling trousers, Southwick sport coat, and my statement brother's shirt, like I just totally
00:27:01
Speaker
Like I was in, I was in head first, man. Like this was my thing. Like that's not synonymous with a lot of people's first experience with going to like the Ludlow shop or to Sid Mashburn or whatever. Like you have like a fledgling interest and then your mind is just totally blown. And by the time you leave, you're like, oh yeah, like I'm real into this shit now.
00:27:32
Speaker
Oh, yeah, I mean, I was totally like hooked. And, and they just like, they also just like brought me along, which I don't, I think that's a, that's like, you're, you have to work at a special place to like, be brought along in that. For sure. And I feel sure to feel that way about a lot of the shop, like all the shops I was at, I was in such a nice, I was talking about someone with someone this the other day, like about moving to Atlanta. And like, if I had worked at Sid, what would have been different?
00:27:59
Speaker
And like I wouldn't, I don't think I would take it back. Like I don't, I don't think I would, I think it would not stick with the path I was on. Like the things I learned from Chip.
00:28:07
Speaker
were invaluable. And I feel that way about O'Connell. They taught me things that are here now and things that helped me run this business. And they let me do small buying. And Ethan would talk to me about the cloth. And I remember him showing me Shetland sweaters and being like, look at this. And it's like a piece of hay in the net. And that just was like...
00:28:33
Speaker
sunk in me like it and I just love that like I love like the real the realness of it all the realness of the real things like this is probably a very it's probably a very niche topic for like our our audience but like as someone that has had
00:28:52
Speaker
that type of teaching also. Those people and that experience is so important with whatever you fucking choose to do with it. It teaches you so much that I do visits now, but a lot of my shit is informed by what I've learned
00:29:16
Speaker
Working with fabrics and and like listening to the you know, the elders of the clothing industry like like mr. Hartley rip You know, like it's it's so important and it's a very like particular experience But it's one that like I feel like any of us that have had that type of thing Don't regret for a minute Yeah, it's it's like any
00:29:43
Speaker
It's so funny how close you can be to a different path. Like, you know, when I was like leaving this electronics retail job, it was like, okay, I'm like looking for something else. And I'm like, okay, it's like, I'll look at Brooks Brothers, like O'Connell's. There's another small men's shop in Buffalo, but it's like way more Italian and like slick.
00:30:02
Speaker
And like, it's just so crazy how like your path, my path, my path, but anyone else isn't, you know, you can apply this to any industry or whatever, like could have been different just based off of like one small change and like what O'Connell is to me and like, and is who I become like stylistically, but also like what juniors is like,
00:30:25
Speaker
is in like, I always tell people those guys are like family. And like, whenever I go back there, I try to always like drop in and just talk about anything like it's just it's just great. So yeah, like, I like grew up in that store too. Like I was a young 20 something like coming in hungover on Saturdays and like getting pizza and then like I left and I was like,
00:30:49
Speaker
I think I just had like more of a understanding of like who of what I liked. And they were also
00:30:57
Speaker
They also took that input. They're the owners and they've been doing it for whatever, 30 plus years. But because I was younger and I was genuinely into it, I also was starting to get a small say. They took me to New York for the first time and went to market and they really brought me along. You wouldn't get that experience many other places. That's very special.
00:31:21
Speaker
Absolutely. Absolutely. It, you know, it kind of teaches you like a lot of the ins and outs of the industry in a very like hands on way. Thousand. Well, it's like anti corporate. Yes. A lot of places you work. It's a corporate manual and you go through it line by line with someone whose job it is to make sure that you understand.
00:31:49
Speaker
You're right. Thousand percent. So it's like immersion learning basically versus whatever they try to force onto you. Oh, yeah. I mean, my my resume is nothing, but my experience from O'Connell's and from any of these other shops is everything like the hands on learning. Like you said, Connors, like that's what I got. Like they were like,
00:32:15
Speaker
come over here and look at these swatches and tell us what you like. It might not be the one we're going to pick, but we want to know what you like. And then it's like, OK, the belts need to be reordered. Reorder the belts. I don't know if it's on their website still, but they had a coat made by Chrysalis that they fully let me, and I'm going to air quote, design, because we can get into that too.
00:32:42
Speaker
But like, you know, they were like, you pick the cloth, you pick the lining, you pick the style. And they like, this was like near the end of my time there. And like, I had left at this point by the time it came in, and they still, they like named the coat after me. So it was on the website, and it was called like the golden coat. That's great. That's great. Yeah.
00:33:02
Speaker
Yeah, I mean it was like it really is like I still like will text Ethan about like whatever hockey or anything like funny clients that like come in or like any of that stuff. So there it's really really special place to me. Yeah. I feel like this kind of piggybacks because I you know, knowing you a little bit.
00:33:23
Speaker
I think that the O'Connell's guys from like a third party perspective kind of seem to embody this concept. But like what are the two things that I think you and I always connected on?
00:33:35
Speaker
Um, were very soft, like tailored garments. Like they're just so comfortable. And then also just like wearing shit for the utility of it, like not treating our stuff as precious.
Juniors' Fashion Philosophy
00:33:48
Speaker
And I think, yeah, me, you and Daniel, I'll throw us in that and maybe Steve later on, but, uh, yeah, like, like,
00:33:59
Speaker
I was wondering like how those two kind of things have evolved for you with like Forming your own brand and your own store like what what do you take from from your personal? your personal Ideas about clothing and like infuse them in juniors Yeah, I mean that like
00:34:23
Speaker
I mean getting to Atlanta and working with you and Dan and like seeing close like one like minor small tangent off of that is that like every stop along the way every shop that I was at had an impact on like my evolution as a
00:34:41
Speaker
you know, just like learning the business. Like at O'Connell's it was a perfect foundation. John B. Rook is where I learned made to measure, which is like, you know, invaluable now to me. Um, and then at Stockton, at Stockton I think I really learned, and this was from like you, Dan, you know, on a different level, Joel on a different level, Steve, like just like how would it be like comfortable in clothing and like not be too like fussy about it. Um,
00:35:10
Speaker
especially from you like to like work to like live in the clothes like to truly like live in your clothing like it's okay and I tell people that now like don't worry like don't worry if you get something on it or like if you tear it like one it can most often be fixed or repaired and then two it only makes it better like it becomes more of your skin rather than like
00:35:37
Speaker
this like special thing that we like keep sealed away in the closet and like you know it yeah so that that's a huge thing of like living in your clothing um and that's that's how i approach juniors now too like no matter what it is with clients if it's ready to wear if it's made to measure suiting like you have to live in the clothing oh
00:36:05
Speaker
phone call. Mind if I step away? Get that. Look at how realistic our show is. I like this. Yeah, this is a man at work here. We're back. You started juniors a few years back and it seems to walk the line between the old guard
00:36:36
Speaker
Ivy style and the new of Italian inspired clothing. So is that your goal when you set out or have things evolved that way? That was definitely conscious, I would say.
00:36:56
Speaker
I like coming from O'Connell's and especially like I have like memories of Matt calling me tradlord. Yes, like that was that was like another thing of like working. That was like a big thing of working in Atlanta, especially with like you Matt and Dan and Steve.
00:37:17
Speaker
was that I really stepped out of this trad thing that I was so stuck in and only thought... I feel like I remember texting you or something or maybe getting my first side vent jacket.
00:37:36
Speaker
I remember. I remember. To that moment, like I was wearing, you know, Douglas model three roll to center event. Like that was the only thing I did. So like to take that step out, stock, being at Stockton and working with those types of people and even those types of clothes too, like ring jacket and, um, I mean, for me to love, right? Like that was the first thing I had like experience. Um,
00:38:02
Speaker
It just opened my eyes to a whole other world that I was missing up to that point. Or maybe ignoring. Maybe I was ignoring it, being scared. I'm probably still like that in a lot of ways of evolving my personal style. But those were things that I just felt were more appealing to me in a continental aspect and just felt more me in my age.
00:38:31
Speaker
O'Connell's was great and like told taught me all of that and like being in that like little trad world but to like do something that was slightly like younger and like it was just through a different lens. And I think that's what's happening here in juniors is that like, I have things that aren't like nothing in here is like different. But I think like seeing it through and this ties in with like, like you mentioned the Instagram earlier, Connor, like all that it's just like
00:39:01
Speaker
Putting things through a younger lens and on different body type or just worn slightly different can carve out a special space for juniors in the industry, I guess I can say. And I think that's worthwhile to say.
00:39:30
Speaker
like that it that it that it's through this other lens that guys can relate to I think that's important because like you see it you see Shetland sweaters on like so many people that are you know like
00:39:43
Speaker
Caught up too caught up in this like trad approach to it. I think it needs to be seen in other ways And that's that's definitely something that's always on my mind here like to like this suit today I actually wore this suit for you today max. I knew you would appreciate it. You can't really like this is a covert twill suit that like
00:40:07
Speaker
you would really associate this with like, I mean, hardcore trad people. Yeah, like when it's when it's just like, you know, you put your own spin on it, like anyone, like anyone that's mid 30s, like
00:40:23
Speaker
When it's tapered a little bit more on the trouser and like, you know, it's a three roll too, but it's darted, has patch pockets in us, inside vents on the back and no pad in the shoulder. It's now, now it's like, well, what is it? Is it, is it Ivy or is it, you know, Italian or something, you know, something like that? Um, yeah. And I just think so. That's so important to do with like these, cause you don't want to lose these things. Like we don't know, we want to like.
00:40:48
Speaker
lose what covert twill is or think that it's only reserved for like, you know, sack suits or something because it's not. So yeah, I think that's super important. I'm always kind of like conscious of that, whether it's like through buying or like navigating swatches with people that like, you know, you don't, you don't have to shy away from those things. They're, they're great for a reason. Your grandfather wore them for a reason. You should wear them for the same reason, but you can do it in your own way. For sure. For sure.
00:41:23
Speaker
So we've talked about Philly a little bit.
Choosing Philadelphia for Juniors
00:41:25
Speaker
Um, why did you open in Philadelphia in the first place? Like moving to Philadelphia was not, I never, the plan, I w I did have the plan to start juniors to like moving here, but there was never a plan for a shop in the beginning. It was really just to like start out by appointment, like,
00:41:51
Speaker
you know, visit at the time, like pre pandemic, pre three weeks before pandemic was like to like visit people in their offices or like just like slowly build this thing up, have the online aspect of it. But Philly, like as a whole, ticked a lot of boxes for like for my family. Being close to Buffalo,
00:42:15
Speaker
with now two kids. So we see our family much more often and much easier than we ever would have in Atlanta. We wanted to live in a real city. I mean, Matt, you know this, and Connor, if you've been to Atlanta,
00:42:33
Speaker
If you don't live in midtown Atlanta within a six block radius, like it doesn't feel like a city. Like we had a house there and it was like, we had a house in the city of Atlanta. The zip code was city of Atlanta, but like it was a house with a yard and we had two cars and a driveway and it like wasn't the city life we wanted. So Philadelphia checked that box for us. Um,
00:42:57
Speaker
And you know, like a small a small part of it was that I was I wanted to start the business and there wasn't anything in this world here. So I knew that there was kind of like a gap. But I didn't know that like,
00:43:11
Speaker
I honestly thought moving here, I was like, well, there must be a small men's shop here. There must be like something where you can get like a Gitman brand that's not private label, but there wasn't. And that, you know, that was shocking to me. Yeah. You've got, you've got boys that's been there since a lot of time. And like, you know, not to, not to like downplay them, like they're a great store.
00:43:36
Speaker
but it's not that personal experience. Like it's not that kind of niche that your clients, I'm sure, are a part of. Yeah, I mean, yeah, like Boyd's is legendary. Right, right. But I mean, I think you and I both know from working in like men's shops in smaller cities, like it can be intimidating to go into a spot like that.
00:44:05
Speaker
Totally. Yeah, I mean, it's it's a department store now. So that's a that's a different vibe. And like, I'm sure you get great help there. But we have totally different styles, like totally different approaches to what, you know, clothing is or clothing should be especially, I mean, on both fronts, ready to wear and tailored. I mean, they have great things that a lot of cities can't say that, you know, they mean, they have Keaton and Isai. That's incredible.
00:44:35
Speaker
Yeah. But that's not my, I appreciate it, but it's not me. I don't know, maybe we talked about this Matt at some point, but I love Ring Jacket. I think it's amazing product, obviously, but it's way too cool for me. I am not. I never, there was a small point at Stockton where I felt really good in it.
00:45:04
Speaker
And I think that was me learning to like a different style. But when it came down to it, I felt the best in an American tailored garment. So I had to combine the two.
00:45:16
Speaker
I mean that that like you just described my entire philosophy with Taylor clothing like I Yeah, you know Southwick rest in peace was the best garments that I've earned my favorite garments that I've owned and Like right that's you know, that's important like it's taking the taking the thing that like you feel is really bad and
00:45:43
Speaker
and making it your own, which I think you and I both have tried to do in our like clothing evolution. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So like that, those, that was just like, like, uh, you know, ring jacket was like a stepping stone to like, like, I, like I, there were things that I appreciated about it that I never would have if I wouldn't have ever tried it or ever worked in it in Atlanta and, and all of these things like, so, you know,
00:46:14
Speaker
So yeah. So bringing it back to like Philly, not having a shop like this and like Boyd's being here. Like it's an, it's an amazing space for me to fill. To like, say that like you can come to Philadelphia and like, if you want a Shetland sweater, like you can come here and get like Brooks Brothers is two blocks away, but like that, I'm sorry, that horse has been dead and I wish people would say that. Like I'm really not ashamed to say it anymore. Like Brooks Brothers is just so dead. Like we just got to let it go.
00:46:42
Speaker
Because also because on the flip side of that, I think in a lot of cities or like maybe even a lot of guys like you could find a small shop in a city nearby you that would just like benefit much more from your business rather than like, then Brooks Brothers, you know, like, dude, also, like, also fuck Brooks Brothers for like, doing their dumb shit and south of going out of business.
00:47:10
Speaker
Like that alone is, is my main like beef for those assholes. That was, I mean, I had never worn anything besides Southwick until I wore rain jacket at Stockton in Atlanta. Like that's all I knew. Southwick and hurtling trousers. Same thing, like hurtling, like rest in peace, man. Like what legendary business. Yeah.
00:47:35
Speaker
No shit. And I miss Julie and I miss the business itself every day. Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
00:47:44
Speaker
I feel like I got way off tangent on the initial question. No, dude, we were all about tangents on this program. It's a complicated answer. Yeah, it is a complicated answer. I mean, honestly, you describe perfectly why Philly makes sense for you. And that makes total sense.
00:48:07
Speaker
you're filling a niche that is not there for people that maybe or maybe not listed at this program. And they're like, where the fuck am I gonna shop? I don't wanna go to a Nieman's type spot. I don't wanna go to this place that may or may not actually have good clothing.
00:48:31
Speaker
Yeah. It was so puzzling. I could not believe that, that you could come to this city. There's an Ivy League school right across the river. Right, right. The founding city of the country. You couldn't find these classic menswear
00:48:53
Speaker
men's clothing essentials in this city. And I was just like shocked by that. So, so yeah, on the flip side, like to fill that void. Like I feel really lucky to be able to do that, especially, you know, that it keeps growing.
00:49:10
Speaker
So it's filling a need here too. It must be filling a need. Like if the business is growing, it's filling a need here, which is also incredible for the city. More scores, the merrier in a way, like, you know, rising tide floats all over. Yeah, dude. Right. Yeah. I was literally just thinking that same thing. Like it's better for everyone. So glad I got the quote right for the pie.
00:49:38
Speaker
We have it on tape. We do have it on tape. Yeah. So what, what would you say the like, you know, like the regular juniors clientele is like, what's the core of the juniors business? One of the cool things that ties into like, seeing traditional styled clothing, like through a different lens is that, like, it's also like,
Clientele and Product Design at Juniors
00:50:07
Speaker
how we get in our information now like Instagram and social media and all that like but like the core customer is pretty young which is like which is I mean it's fun like young guys looking for suits young guys looking for clothing of quality
00:50:25
Speaker
like young guys looking for good help like now more than ever you can get a suit anywhere right like suit supplies on the next block but I get guys that come in and they're like I was in there and I had to like ask them not to make it like painted on my body like those guys come in I'm so happy to like just like be a part of their journey and like talk about like
00:50:52
Speaker
anything from, you know, because you get all different guys, you get guys that come in and we're talking about like quarter inch differences and, you know, our inseam or like half inch differences and rises and things. But then like, you get guys that come in there, like I'm starting my next phase here of like buying clothing. And it's amazing to like show them
00:51:10
Speaker
know, they're like, I need my next great navy suit. And we're looking at like, Hardy, Minnes, Fresco, and like, Doug Leno. It's just been so much fun to like, work through anything with any type of guy that knows what they're coming into, or guys that like coming in for the first time. And they're like, Tell me what the shop's about. So like, so it's they're all great. Like, I
00:51:33
Speaker
Like this, the quote has been like the suits been dying for 10 years, but like I get guys that are coming in and they're like, I need a Navy suit. Fuck that. Fuck that. No, no, the suits never going to die. Like there's going to be a Rolling Stones.
00:51:54
Speaker
mid sixties, you know, resurgence at some point, like that kind of shit. It's just like the suit goes through so many iterations, but it sustains itself. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. So the short answer to the original question is that like there's, it could be anyone from like starting a wardrobe, you know, even, even if we're talking about like starting a wardrobe, like
00:52:21
Speaker
Your mind quickly goes to like a suit, like a navy suit, navy blazer, gray trousers, but I have guys that come in there like, I need to like take the next step in my wardrobe, but I don't need to wear a suit. So now we're looking at like cotton canvas trousers and like, uh, Oxford cloth shirts and Shetland sweaters. And like, I have attorneys who like wear the work jackets to the office because like they feel naked without a top layer. Um, so since the pandemic, that like variety has like changed.
00:52:50
Speaker
more than it ever was in my career. And it's fun to help guys navigate through that, for sure. I too feel naked without a top layer. Oh my god. Yeah. It can be 98 degrees out, and I will wear a jungle jacket on the hottest day. Do not go outside in just a t-shirt. I have to have something on top. Yes, absolutely.
00:53:22
Speaker
So the next question, with formal clothing at least, design is sort of a misnomer. You're not reinventing the wheel. You've expanded into some other casual garments that work well in a wardrobe that is mostly based around formality. Sorry.
00:53:47
Speaker
Is there a process for figuring out what you think will work? I mean, I guess this is related to what you were just saying. Right. Yeah. Like I always tell people come in and because everything is made for the shop, like this, that question of like, like if we're talking about like what, like the word designer as a whole, like I, like there's nothing, I don't design anything in here whatsoever. Like, you know, I, like my, but like my shirt collars, like it's proprietary. Like that was like something I figured out, but like,
00:54:18
Speaker
organically just through myself, like everything through the shop like runs through me, obviously, but like most of it has some sort of like back journey through my own personal style. So yeah, so you know, everything in the shop is like made for the shop. You know, finding manufacturers that will work with me sourcing the materials myself and you know, in maybe half of the cases. But
00:54:47
Speaker
The goal, there's that cliche, if someone took a photo of you and it was black and white, you shouldn't be able to tell which era it was from. I feel pretty firm on that in the shop. That's how everything in the shop should appeal to everyone that walks in, whether it's a made-to-measure suit or whether it's ready to wear clothing.
00:55:13
Speaker
Uh, we just want to navigate as close as possible to being right down the middle. You know, the trends I get, I've, it's been fun because like now that the trend is sort of shifting back to this fuller silhouette, I have some guys who come in and want like high rise trouser with a, with a full leg, but then I'm still getting some guys who come in and they're like, you know, do you think the leg needs to be tapered? So like you get both dynamics of it. Um,
00:55:41
Speaker
So it's interesting to work through that with everyone. And then yes, like the way, like I said, you know, whatever a couple of minutes ago, like the way that people dress now for the workplace has changed more than ever in my career. I have some guys that come in and they're like, I'm wearing like a sport coat and a trouser, proper like dress trouser three days a week.
00:56:05
Speaker
And then I might have like attorneys who come in and they're like, I have guys in the office wearing like, you know, golf club polos and chino. I don't feel good in that. So we're like looking at like the work jacket, pairing it with like knitwear underneath. Like this, this merino polo that I'm wearing now, like has been such a great thing for the shop to help like navigate that for guys. They don't want to wear, you know, they want to be perceived as dressed up, but they want to feel good.
00:56:34
Speaker
right like in what they're wearing. So nobody feels good in a plastic polo shirt. I'm sorry. Like fuck me. Fuck plastic polo shirts performance my ass. Oh my God. It's just all he has to repackage.
00:56:53
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I've told you before. It feels disgusting. It feels gross. The first day that I worked at the shop that we have kind of named but not really in Atlanta, the person that had hired me, Pat,
00:57:13
Speaker
Wonderful. He even taught me so much. Yeah, you missed, man. I'm sorry you missed out on him, but he was showing me around. It was showing me what, what their big, you know, things in the shop were. And Peter Millar was one of them, namely the performance polos.
00:57:33
Speaker
And I felt one and I said, Pat, the fuck is this? And he was like, that's why I hired you, Matt. That's why I hired you. Well, it's like I had a similar thing leaving O'Connell's and then going to this shop in Savannah. And I had, you know, I was at a shop in O'Connell's that was like, you know, you're talking to a manufacturer.
00:58:00
Speaker
and they're like private label it or we're not ordering it. And then I go to Savannah and they're like, they have the racks full of like Southern Tide polos. I was like, I was like,
00:58:12
Speaker
small crisis, I was like, I don't know if I can work here. Dude, of course, of fucking course.
Modernizing Retail Approaches
00:58:20
Speaker
Yeah, totally know what that is, for sure. That should have been your reaction. Yeah, that should be any normal person that actually enjoys clothing's reaction to seeing something Todd or Peter Millar or any of that. We could do a whole hour on this. Oh, yeah, I was just thinking of the whole
00:58:41
Speaker
like our overlapped time in Atlanta, like with Dan and like that whole journey of like what we were working on there together. And like, it's so hard to change the mind of like old guard, right? If we're talking about that, like, yeah, that is. Yeah. If you were, if you like were in the menswear like store in the eighties and nineties,
00:59:10
Speaker
and you sold as much as they sold, there's no change in that. There's no changing that idea, which is sad. I feel like that's how a lot of stores die. That's one thing here. That just made me think of something here that I think a lot of people, I mean, these guys who were just in Set It, they like
00:59:35
Speaker
someone, two people said it today. And I think, I think there's something to be said for it is that people come in here and they immediately recognize that there's a point of view in this shop, like everything is so conscious. And this goes back to me, like saying, like, I don't, like there's no designing in here, but it's obviously thought out, like, you know, everything goes with everything for a reason. The colors all look very similar for a reason.
01:00:03
Speaker
And it's when people notice that and they point that out to me, that's even that's like fulfilling in its own way is that they recognize that. And then on a larger scale, like if we're talking about like what the store in Atlanta was or what the store in Savannah was or even what, what Boyd's is, I mean, Boyd's does have a point of view to a degree, but like people will notice it and they appreciate it. It's like Sid's quote, like,
01:00:32
Speaker
You don't need all the choices. You need the right choices. Right. Right. And that's like, that's what that is. And that when you look at like other shops that even I look up to, they all have that in common too, is that there's a strict point of view. It's okay to say no. Like, you know, you're at a trade show or you're getting pitched something or like someone comes in and they're like, you know, I get people all the time. You know, I have, I do, and I have Navy canvas trousers because like people ask for them.
01:01:00
Speaker
But I don't love them and I'm not afraid to tell people that and I think they're okay with like listening to that and making their own decision from that. Like there is something in that to like to take your stance on something and really believe in it. And that's also a big part of what this shop is that like these things are in here or it looks this way for a reason because I believe in it.
01:01:26
Speaker
If you go made to measure, you know, there's a house style here, but like, do you want to change it? If you've never worn a three-year-old two in your life and you want to do two button, like that's totally fine. But like to walk into that, I do think people appreciate that point of view. For sure. And I think that like, that's a lot of the way that clothing interest has changed over the years, especially the past 15 or so. You know, people want something that like they identify with.
01:01:57
Speaker
And there's, you know, there's only a certain amount of that shit that you can get from someone that isn't just like a person running a store, like a person trying to do this. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's really beneficial to have good help to like, totally saying that not just like in a salesman way, but like to know that you're going into a shop that like, I don't know, maybe you don't feel maybe when you walk in here because it's so like, uh,
01:02:27
Speaker
noticeably, I hate using the word like curated, but like, because it is that way, you, maybe there's a certain comfort that people can get with that. For sure. As opposed to walking in somewhere, there's like every choice. There's like five fits of the pant. There's, you know, it's too much. Yeah, it's overwhelming. Yeah, it's very, yeah. Totally real. It's a totally real thing.
01:02:58
Speaker
Agree. Agree.
Glenn's Personal Style Staples
01:03:00
Speaker
Um, so to finish out, we don't want to do some dumb cliche shit like wardrobe essentials, but, uh, I love it. I was like, yeah. Like what are five things that you in your daily life get the most wear out? Yeah. Um, one thing this, this, this is a Steve Clark note.
01:03:28
Speaker
I from working with Steve, like fell in love with wearing suede specifically brown suede shoes. Right? Yeah. Yeah. I exclusively now like maybe once a month or twice a month I will wear something other than a brown suede shoe. Maybe even other than a suede shoe like I might do like a snuff or something like that. So it's pretty rare that I wear calf but like I pretty much exclusively in brown suede in my
01:03:58
Speaker
favorite favorite pair is my brown suede tassel loafers from Alden. Those are those are number one for me like I will get another pair like this pair I have now is on its second sole and like they're easily my favorite shoe like if I want to feel great like those are going on my feet that day. Right. My barber like
01:04:24
Speaker
also like so sad how that like has become like mainstream ish in a way. Yeah, the classics, those classic models, you know, they never will like fade. But now like I've had mine for 10 years now and like finally have like, had like major repairs done to it where it's like it looks like it looks good. Like I always looked up to John Huber's barber like it at O'Connell's like it was like
01:04:49
Speaker
He like, I remember one day he came in and he was like, putting the kids in the car and he like ripped the arm of it. And the whole thing was like, but like he got it repaired. Amazing, like different color green patch on the underarm. And I was like, Oh my God, I can't wait till I like get something like that. And now I like have that. And like my bar, like I love my barber is like,
01:05:12
Speaker
also right up there for me. The funny thing I always tell people is if the house is on fire, I'm grabbing the barber. That's how much I love it. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. What else? Those two quickly come to mind. After that,
01:05:34
Speaker
I don't know, maybe I don't have any like major connections or anything that I can think of after that. But those two is great. Yeah, two is great. And those are like daily, those are like daily where? So yeah, yeah. We're satisfied with your answers. For sure.
01:05:57
Speaker
All right, dude, Glenn, thank you so much for coming on. Um, and, uh, this has been hella fun. Um, we want to give every guest a chance to shout out what they want to. So this is yours. Yeah. Um, I do. I have to shout out Derek Guy who you guys had on recently, um, who like.
01:06:19
Speaker
He knows more about some people in this industry, right? Like, no argument there. He recently tweeted about the shop, which was just like... Oh yeah, I meant to screen cap that and send it to you. And I totally forgot. But I'm glad you saw it. Yeah, that was incredible. That was amazing. Like, I woke up and it was like another baby early morning wake up. And I was like, why does the site have like, you know, crazy amount of hits on it? And like popped on and like,
01:06:50
Speaker
That's where it was coming from. And like, just that kind of, that type of like genuine recommendation is just incredible. And that's like any of that, like people that come in and they hear about it either from Derek or like a friend told me about it or like they, they discover it through some kind of organic way, which like, I don't do a lot. I know I hardly do any paid advertising, but like when people, people find out about the shop organically. Um, and that was a major thing. So shout out to Derek.
01:07:22
Speaker
Shout out to you and Dan. I mean, you and Dan have shifted my style so much. So there's fingerprints of you guys, I would say, on my personal style for sure. No one does tonal dressing better than Dan Tunji. Yeah, of course. Just a master. A master. Yeah, for sure. And Joel Patton, major, major.
01:07:51
Speaker
Talk about a true like leader to work under. I mean, that was, he was just great. I agree. Starting out with this, like, like talk, you used to talk to him about it and still like shoot the breeze every once in a while. Like couldn't have asked for someone else to, to work under like that. So, and there's a lot, there's, I mean, there's other, totally so many other things, right? But, but yeah, it's been great. Fuck yeah. And shout out your shop, my friend.
01:08:22
Speaker
Thank
Closing and Social Media Shares
01:08:23
Speaker
you. Yeah, the shop, my shop is juniors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania shop juniors.com at shop juniors on Instagram. Yeah, it's fucking great. If you like
01:08:38
Speaker
Really cool shit. Across the... I knew that's what you were going to say. Yeah, I have a way with words, that's for sure. Anyway, once again, Clint, thank you. If you have questions, comments, and concerns, drop us an email, please.
01:09:04
Speaker
Um, at apocalypse duds on Instagram. I am Matt Smith at rebels rogues. And I'm Connor Nunez. Thanks for listening. Real Connor Nunez. All right.