05 Nov A couple of familiar downtown dwellers are opening a new Old Town shop for men
Businessman Rodney Horton not only purchased the buildings along East Douglas from Washington to part of the Larkspur space, he’s now opening a store there as well.
He and former FNL Denim co-owner Levi Fitzmier are opening Standard Issue, a men’s clothing, accessory and gift shop, at 924 E. Douglas.
It’s “almost like a Lucinda’s for guys,” Horton says in reference to the Old Town shop that’s especially popular with women.
He says he and Fitzmier plan “just cool . . . urban street and work wear. There’s nothing really like it.”
What the store won’t have — at least initially — is the jeans that Fitzmier and former FNL partner Frank Hopkins used to make before closing their Eaton Place store in 2017.
There’s some confusion over FNL possibly reopening because of a survey that Fitzmier is circulating that says, “FNL Comeback? We Need Your Input!”
“We’re not going to be making custom clothes as of yet,” Fitzmier says.
He says they’re checking into potential partnerships to see “how we could potentially down the road do some custom jeans.”
For now, they’re scouting what Fitzmier describes as quality brands and accessories at various price points.
“I would love to get some good denim brands in there.”
Fitzmier says that makes sense because he gets “hit up probably on a weekly basis” about what kind of jeans people should buy.
“So I think that’s going to be a really big focus.”
He says he would like to know what people want in a men’s shop, so he invites anyone to take the survey.
Horton says there will be a mix of new and vintage clothing in addition to gifts.
“Just kind of guy stuff,” he says of things such as custom pocket knives and leather wallets.
Horton is sales director for the IT company ConvergeOne and also owns Cana Wine & Cocktails and the new Shift Auto Society.
He calls Standard Issue his latest “passion project” and says it will “have a little automotive twist to it, of course.”
He’s been spending time at his new East Douglas properties, and Horton says that’s when he realized it’s difficult for a guy to even buy socks in the area without having to drive all the way to Rock Road.
Horton had a tenant lined up for the space, but it didn’t work out.
“It’s one of those things, if I can’t find a tenant, I’ll create one.”
Horton, who used to be in the Army, says the Standard Issue name is a play on the basic clothing military members are issued.
“I was thinking about what’s essential to men.”
There’s a chance there will be some pop-up sales for women as well, but they would come later.
Fitzmier, who will run the store, says he’s working to open before Christmas.
Look for more details closer to the opening.
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