Eric Herschede created a lounge space in his new Central Avenue menswear shop that encourages conversations, camaraderie and connection (photo by Kathryn M. Miller).
Owner Eric Herschede says that his eponymous menswear shop is something of a second act for him.
“I always told my children, if they can find what they love to do, they’d be better off than most. And so, I thought for a second act I wanted to chase something that had kind of been ruminating in my brain for a while.
“I grew up going to Carter’s over at 44th Street and Camelback and always thought it was such an interesting thing – [Mike Carter] got to talk to people every day, be around clothes, which I love, and I was just always intrigued by it. But you know, life goes on and I thought about it for a few decades. But then this spot came up…I grew up in this area and I thought if there was a time to do it, this was the time.”
Located at 5068 N. Central Ave., the 3,800-square-foot specialty men’s clothing boutique Herschede opened to the public on Oct. 28.
It opened “with a lot of support from my family and my friends and my community,” Herschede said. “I saw this space in April and then in six months we opened the store. It’s hard outside these doors for a lot of people, and we wanted to kind of create an old barber shop where people hang out, see old friends, meet new friends but instead of based around getting a haircut, it is focused around clothes.”
The proprietor says that the store was born from a belief that a store can be more than shelves and fabric, “It can be a space that engages every sense – sight, smell, touch and sound. A place where you can pause, breathe, and feel something real.” And walking through the store, he has achieved that goal. Curated music plays in the background – complimenting, rather than overpowering – and soft fragrance wafts through the well-stocked and eye-catching display racks and tables. Artwork of musicians and cultural icons grace the walls and at the back of the store is a lounge space that invites lingering.
Located at 5068 N. Central Ave., the 3,800-square-foot specialty men’s clothing boutique Herschede opened to the public on Oct. 28 (photo by Kathryn M. Miller).
Shoppers will find 58 brands from across the globe – Amsterdam, England, Italy, France, Colorado, Ohio. Whether someone is looking for an outfit for a dinner date, a game, concert, play, art museum, workwear, golf gear and more, “We tried to find stuff that is unique, that maybe you would not see in other stores.”
Herschede says that his job is to make customers look their best, however they are trying to present themselves to the world.
“If a guy is jeans and rock T-shirts and that’s who he is, I have that. But if he wants to go off, then I have some things I can suggest to him.”
He added, “Every piece, every note of music, every flicker of light was chosen to make you feel welcome. To remind you that style isn’t about performance – it’s about resonance. It’s about leaving with a sense of quiet joy that follows you long after you walk out the door.”
To learn more about the shop, visit https://herschede.shop.
