By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Charlie's Tailor has been a fixture in downtown Grand Rapids for 13 years, and his faith in the city is what caused owner Charlie Lam to stay when he decided to expand his shop.
His new store at 53 Monroe Center is just around the corner from his old shop. But Charlie says he's in a better location for the new service he's offering—Jadestone Custom Clothing, custom made suits for men and women.
"I'm the suit Nazi," Charlie says with a chuckle, playing on Seinfeld's famous 'soup Nazi' catchphrase. "If the quality is not there, it hurts me to see the product go downhill."
Customers can still have alterations, mending, and dry cleaning done at Charlie's. But now they can also choose a suit from 26 books of fabrics that include pure cashmere, cashmere/wool blends, and 60/40 silk blends for shirts. Charlie does the measurements, the suits are handmade in China (he couldn't find an American company to create them), and Charlie adds the finishing touches by tailoring the suit to fit the customer perfectly.
Also inside the 1,300-square-foot shop is a massage therapy room where Charlie's daughter, a certified deep tissue massage therapist, has her table and massage chair.
The restored storefront has curved glass floor-to-ceiling windows set back off the sidewalk to create an inviting entry for the busy shop.
"I have faith in downtown," Charlie says. "If not, I would have packed up and gone."
Source: Charlie Lam, Charlie's Tailor and Jadestone Custom Clothing; Ann Zimmer, Rockford Construction
Photo by Brian Kelly
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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