RAISING THE BAR — Interestingly, is it because of Dallas businessman Andrew Brown’s valiant contributions while functioning in his element as general manager of International Suit Warehouse at 4030 West Camp Wisdom, that a host of his devoted customers, family members, friends, and well-wishers will descend upon Dallas’ Sunlight Missionary Baptist to honor him during an appreciation gathering as a thriving, beloved businessman.
“It’s more than just selling clothes, but helping many people get a look that’s different than norm…to build relationships with so many people is an honor,” Brown, during an interview this week with Making Headline News, said of his stellar and rewarding Corporate America profession. “Throughout the years, I’ve met so many people with so many personalities.”
And, fortunately for Brown, his uniquely unorthodox attire, coupled with his sometimes demonstrative countenance, have been thoroughly embraced and admired by people from various walks of life, most notably those fellas who are accustomed to — you know — devising ways to dress to impress.
Interestingly, is it because of Brown’s valiant contributions while functioning in his element as general manager of International Suit Warehouse at 4030 West Camp Wisdom, that a host of his devoted customers, family members, friends, and well-wishers will descend upon Dallas’ Sunlight Missionary Baptist to honor him during an appreciation gathering as a thriving, beloved businessman.
International Suit Warehouse has five locations throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth-area Metroplex, including its Camp Wisdom store.
The event, which will take place at 2308 Cooper Street on February 9 at 7 p.m. CST, is being arranged by Sunlight Senior Pastor, Bishop El Robinson, who is a regular customer of ISW and has established close-knit rapport with Brown, a native of nearby McKinney, Texas.
All things considered in a profession whereby Brown has, in his own words, learned to “take good with the bad,” this South Oak Cliff High graduate is especially grateful that a number of his customers and close friends deemed it essential to pay homage to him in such an illustrative way.
Y’ALL WELCOME — From individuals as young as four years old to elderly men in their late 60s-to-early-70s, Brown has become a fixture for steadfastly tending to the fashion needs of virtually anyone who solicits his immeasurable assistance.
“I’ve learned to take the good with the bad and make each customer count,” said Brown, whose name and familiar face are typically what customers initially utter and look for upon entering the four walls of ISW. “For customers continue to come back year after year is a blessing, and it really means something to me.”
From individuals as young as four years old to elderly men in their late 60s-to-early-70s, Brown has become a fixture for steadfastly tending to the fashion needs of virtually anyone who solicits his immeasurable assistance.
After all he is a haberdasher.
And a pretty darn good one, too.
“I’m not able to travel through the job but, I have customers from all over the world,” Brown said. “All of my customer’s know me by name.”
Sadly, Brown was responsible for dressing his younger brother as his family prepared to funeralize him amid his death in July 2016 as a result of gun violence.
For the most part, Brown is widely known as “Drew” by ISW regular customers. Of course, the bulk of the credit goes to his mother, who’s responsible, in many ways, for instilling in her son the importance of — you know — devising ways to dress to impress.
“My mother said I was just a little kid, barely talking…and I saw this guy with red shoes and, back then, red shoes weren’t popular,” Brown explained. “But she said that I said that when I grow up, I will have me some red shoes too.”
The rest, as they say, was history.
How else to explain Brown’s unconventional, eye-catching wardrobe that, on several occasions, has New England Patriots logos blanketed all over them?
MOM KNOWS BEST — For the most part, Brown is widely known as “Drew” by ISW regular customers. Of course, the bulk of the credit goes to his mother, who’s responsible, in many ways, for instilling in her son the importance of — you know — devising ways to dress to impress.
“I’ve never been the one to out dress someone, for it is a blessing to have shoes on our feet and clothes on our back,” Brown said. “God sends people in our lives for a reason. I’ve dressed baby’s, kids, (youngsters for) proms, athletes — some with three or more Super Bowl rings — (customers for) weddings, funerals, pimps, circus actors, actors, teachers, (school) principals, military (types), lawyers, doctors, (police) officers, counselors, judge’s, choirs, musicians, ushers, preachers, pastors on all levels, city council members, and many more.”
Sadly, Brown was responsible for dressing his younger brother as his family prepared to funeralize him amid his tragic death in July 2016 as a result of gun violence.
For what it’s worth, Brown doesn’t shy away from the notion that his labor isn’t in vain.
“I’ve been in the fashion world for over eight years,” said Brown, the proud father of three daughters (Devyn, 10, Summer, 6, and Dikota, 2). “I’ve been No. 1 in sales for over 6 years.”
Now we know why he’s a haberdasher.
And a pretty darn good one, too.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is the Founder and Publisher of Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, call him at 901-690-6587 or send email to andre@makingheadlinenews.com or makingheadlinenews@gmail.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
ABOUT ANDRE: Andre Johnson is a longtime sports journalist and a 2000 graduate of the University of the Memphis with Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. A native of Memphis, Johnson is a former sport reporter Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper and Memphis Sport Magazine. He worked as full-time staffer for The Commercial Appeal from 2000-2002, in which he was the beat reporter for the Memphis Houn’dawgs of now-defunct American Basketball Assocation and the Memphis Xplorers of the arenafootball2 league. He has interviewed numerous sports personalities, most notably Archie Manning, LeBron James, George “Iceman” Gervin, Issac Bruce, Laila Ali, Vince Carter, Paul Westphal, Phil Jackson, Ken Hamlin, Cortez Kennedy, Michael Oher, Kobe Bryant, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, James Harden, Patrick Willis, Stanley Morgan, Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, John Force, Lamar Odom, Alexandra Stevenson, Derek Fisher, Penny Hardaway, Phillip Rivers, Colin Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh, Tyreke Evans, Kirk Ferentz, and O. J. Mayo, among others. To reach Johnson, send email to: memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
Andre Johnson 
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
