Today we’d like to introduce you to Kurt Beecken.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kurt. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I went to boarding school in southern Tennessee. I always had a love for men’s clothing and looking sharp. My senior superlative was best dressed. As a hobby I used to help friends piece together outfits for formal events we had at school, especially those where they would be photographed. It started one year with 2-3 friends and within a few years I was styling 2 dozen people and had to schedule times. I always enjoyed hearing back from people when they got compliments and it made them feel good. That’s what it’s all about for me. I never saw the clothing business as a real career that I could make a living at. Then I jumped into the business and realized I was wrong, it was a great opportunity. Having spent some time in the men’s custom business I found there were a lot of things I didn’t like. I saw lots of companies promising x and delivering y. unfortunately y was not the same quality as x. I saw companies taking short cuts and not promising on what they sold and said they would deliver. I decided I wanted to do something for myself and educate and offer the highest quality full canvas made to measure line and pair it with the highest quality bespoke line entirely bench made by my master tailor in our Chicago showroom. Pair that up with local accessories and American made accessories and the idea of Henry David was born. Our showroom is meant to be a refuge for men, and to make shopping fun, they can grab a drink from our full service bar and finally have fun shopping. Henry David is all about educating the consumer about what they are getting and then delivering on that promise. We try and offer the very highest faulty full canvas made to measure suit and sport coats at a competitive price. And for the discerning gentleman our handmade bespoke program which is truly a piece of art. We go above and beyond and do wardrobe consultations in clients homes to make best use of the piece they may already have to pair with the pieces we make them to give them maximum utility and use.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Growing a new business is always difficult. I spend a lot of late nights work in my shop trying to create new ideas and new business so myself and my company is successful. We have been very lucky with our brick and mortar location as the neighborhood has really welcomed us and allowed us to fill the needs of the clients that work and live near Henry David.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Henry David Clothiers – what should we know?
Henry David is all about service, experience, and education. So many custom shops in Chicago sell you the idea about the quality of their garments but on deeper inspection rarely actually meet their promise. When I started the business I wanted to offer the highest quality garment at a competitive price. NO half canvas or fused garments and NO man made blends of fabric. In our made to measure line we offer only full canvas garments that are 100% wool or wool blended with linen, silk, cashmere etc. Canvas is the bones of a suit, it’s what everything is built off, and Full canvas is the highest quality available. We also offer a true bespoke line which is rare. Our bespoke garments our 100% bench made in our Chicago shop by our master tailor, George. They are truly a one of a kind piece of art where the options are truly endless. These garments take about 4 fittings as perfection is always the goal. We keep paper patterns in our shop for all our bespoke clients. We also offer and incredible custom shirt line to pair with our custom suits and sport coats. We accompany all of this with a curated selection of American made (and local Chicago) accessory companies. We offer everything from loafers to ties to bowties, and everything in between. And if we don’t have it I will personally find it. There is nothing we cannot make for a client. All of this is down in our wood paneled Chicago showroom with a bar and flat screen TV’s to make our clients feel at home and at ease during their custom experience.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Where to start! I had a mentor who really encouraged me to start my own business. His name is Crittenden Rawlings, Critt to his friends. He has a small men’s shop in Midway, KY just outside of Lexington, KY. He was also the former president of Oxford here in Chicago and a huge name in the custom world. I had the immense support of my family and friends most notably my father, David Beecken, who has been in the private equity business here in Chicago for over 30 years. He taught me everything I know about business, most importantly how to be and ethical and honest business man. He is the reason I stress quality and getting what you pay for so much. He is still a constant source of advice and lessons when I find myself stuck. And all of this would not be possible with to my loyal and great clients who I also see as friends.
Pricing:
- Custom shirts start at $149
- Made to measure suits start at $999
- Made to measure sport coats start at $749
- Trousers start at $249
- Bespoke sport coats start at $2499
- Bespoke suits start at $2999
Contact Info:
- Address: 135 S clinton st Chicago IL 60661
- Website: henrydavidclothiers.com
- Phone: 3128370000
- Email: kurt@henrydavidclothiers.com
- Instagram: Henrydavidclothiers
- Facebook: Henry David Clothiers
- Yelp: Henry David Clothiers
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