Snapshots with Bobby Hundreds<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\nWe have continued to sell our unique style to lovers of classic clothing, including fashion diverse influencers in streetwear, the music industry, the lowrider world, the skater and surf worlds, the hot rod and rockabilly worlds, and have provided niche or retro items for many hundreds of movies, TV shows, and music videos.<\/p>\n
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(H)<\/strong> After this many years and with a store as densely-packed as yours, do you still occasionally find things from 1950s and 1960s?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> Yes, occasionally\u2014mostly slacks or ties, or other assorted accessories…maybe a suit here or there. More often than not, these items originally from the \u201850s and \u201860s were actually purchased by us in the \u201880s or \u201890s.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
(H)<\/strong> Do treasure hunters still stalk the stacks, looking for gold?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> Yes, they d0! Our store is piled high with things in seemingly random order\u2014we prefer the term \u201corganized chaos\u201d\u2014and it can be fun to search through for some customers who have the time and patience. We have more than enough merchandise in our store for ten clothing stores our size. Many of our products are stored in back or just hidden in plain view in nearby boxes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The other day, a boutique owner from Japan came looking for new old stock, made in USA Dickies that we had to pull out of the back stock room. He bought a pile of them! He would not have been able to find them if he were \u201cjust browsing.\u201d If you’re not a thrifter or vintage hunter, then it\u2019s very likely you may be overwhelmed by our store, but specific questions will lead you to specific items.<\/p>\n
Lately, people have been afraid to ask us for help or direction in finding what they’re looking for, I think because people are so used to shopping online or in bigger chains where the item is just there on the rack, you pick it up, pay by self-checkout, and then leave. There\u2019s less and less human interaction involved with shopping now. Some first-time visitors may find it frustrating that we do not have all products visible on our showroom floor.<\/p>\n
We try to have as much on display as possible, but our staff is more than happy to assist any customer looking for something special. Browsing can be fun, but in our store it is not always efficient to find a specific item you may have seen online or heard that we carry. We\u2019ve recently posted signs such as, \u201cDon\u2019t be nervous, we\u2019re at your service!\u201d to let customers know that any Greenspan\u2019s employee is here to help you find what you’re looking for!<\/p>\n
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(H)<\/strong> You sell so many Pendleton Boardshirts that they actually make designs exclusively for you\u2014how did that relationship begin?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> We listen to our customers, since they come to us for a wide selection, like most of our niche items. We began with a great variety of Pendleton Boardshirts, then we made sure we had the best<\/em> selection of Pendleton Boardshirts. We would tell Pendleton what our customers had to say about the patterns and fit…their likes and dislikes, and over the years they began to listen to us and our customers’ opinions.<\/p>\nAfter becoming the store with the largest selection of Pendletons, we wanted to revive a classic style and pattern that was known on the streets as a Cascade Pendleton. It was a five-year effort, but in 2012 we finally got those Cascade Pendletons made in two colors, double labeling with both Pendleton and Greenspan\u2019s. Pendleton has welcomed us making exclusive design shirts since then, including two Greenspan\u2019s\/Pendleton double label patterns for our 90th Anniversary in 2018. Our newest exclusive pattern board shirt, the Sable Black Ombre, arrived August 2019, along with a double label Greenspan\u2019s designed two-toned wool baseball cap.<\/p>\n
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(H)<\/strong> When did you first begin private labeling your own pieces?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> We began private labels in the 1940s. We recently used one of our 40\u2019s tag designs for our 90th anniversary double label Pendleton. In the 80s, my father designed a label for some OG-style pants and that started our own branding for exclusive products. We now do custom make ups of leather shoes, wool coats, wool and straw hats, zoot-style suits, and a variety of classic-style pants and shirts.<\/p>\nGreenspan’s Ricky Ricardo pants<\/p><\/div>\n
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(H)<\/strong> How challenging is it finding new suppliers for classic items like hats, Ricky Ricardo pants, and two-tone shoes?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> What is most difficult to find is a manufacturer who knows how to make a classic style item correctly<\/em>, both functionally and aesthetically. We have had a few fails and some learning experiences in this department. There is a certain style of shoe that we have tried to get reproduced correctly, but we don\u2019t have an original in good enough condition.<\/p>\nNo one who is willing to make it up for us knows what it should look or feel like, so every prototype made up just isn\u2019t right<\/em>. Most often we try to use factories or contractors who have been working in their craft for many years, so it will get done right quality-wise and economically. Another resource is talking old companies into making classic items that our customers remember, revere, and would still have grassroots appeal.<\/p>\n(H)<\/strong> You\u2019re heading toward a century of being in business in the same location\u2014has the thought of shutting the doors ever crossed your, or any Greenspan\u2019s, mind?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> It has been a struggle to stay in business in California\u2019s current business climate. We have had many struggles and fortuitous breaks to stay open this long. We never plan to close, but it always needs to be a consideration in this volatile business environment. But I say, as long as our customers keep coming to us, and telling their friends to come to us, that will keep the doors open.<\/p>\nJosh and Evan Greenspan<\/p><\/div>\n
(H)<\/strong> Did you have any choice but to join the family business? Will your son carry on the Greenspan name and tradition?<\/p>\n(G)<\/strong> As a child I never wanted to grow up to work in a clothing store, probably because I had to spend my childhood\u2014summer vacation, etc.\u2014working in the family business. My son has loved and hated the responsibility of being a fourth generation Greenspan, but he is now looking to take it into the next 100 years.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nDrake’s kinda’ sorta’ ridiculous OVO<\/p><\/div>\n
Well that’s a relief\u2014an Earth spinning with an open Greenspan’s is an undeniably better one. After all, if we’re going to crow about brands that have been around for decades, it’s time we started giving some love to the stores selling those brands<\/em> that have been around even longer<\/em>.<\/p>\nYes, to the uninitiated, Greenspan’s stands in stark contrast to fancypants SoCal stores that literally carry fancy pants…stop looking or you’ll upset them!<\/em>…all hung just so, with an actress\/model\/influencer too busy on IG to acknowledge your existence. And thank goodness for it.<\/p>\nRest easy knowing that even if you don’t live within driving distance of Greenspan’s, they will happily be as helpful on the phone or online, doing the digging for you.<\/p>\n
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They’re good people doing noble work in a world gone mad. And while the knowledge that snagging some deadstock Dickie’s and an exclusive Pendleton is still within your reach may not be enough to turn this upside-down world rightside-up, at least you can sleep easy knowing that, if we’re waltzing into our own Walking Dead<\/em>, you can do so in style.<\/p>\n \nGreenspan’s is located at 3405 Tweedy Blvd, South Gate, CA 90280 and open everyday except Sunday. For more information, visit their website<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Even when you consider the historically unique challenges the retail universe is experiencing in the wake of Covid, shopping is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":160739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1120],"tags":[673,42800,4261,114,4319],"acf":{"published_feed_date":"2020-09-10 00:01:21"},"yoast_head":"\n
Greenspan's - The Last Original Clothing Store<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n