A couple of our newest, most fashion-forward brands are on display front and center in our stores.
If you’re visiting us, you’ll quickly notice shirts in fun, quirky prints from Panhandle Slim and trendy fashion denim from Rock & Roll Denim.
Well, they’re new to us, and somewhat new to the marketplace, but at the heart of it all, they’re one of Western fashion’s oldest and most trusted brands.
You didn’t think you were getting out of this without a history lesson, did you?
Westmoor Brands is the parent company for both Rock & Roll Denim and Panhandle Slim, and they’ve been around since 1946. Established by the Hochster family in Minnesota, the brand originally produced casual and sports apparel.
That same year, Papa Jack Weil was introducing a new style of garment out in Denver. The new western shirts he was manufacturing featured a yoked design on the back, sawtooth pockets, and most importantly, pearl snap closures on the front. Those snaps were crucial, and as good as they looked, they favored function even more. When cowboys in the saddle found themselves stuck on fence posts, or barbed wire, or in any number of tricky situations, the snaps came in handy. Instead of buttons snagging and shirts ripping and a bunch of possible problems, the pearl snaps simply popped open, and those cowboys were out of trouble and on to their next task.
Fast forward two years, and Westmoor Brands presented its first western shirt, The Gambler. Marketed with a three-button cuff and a longer tail to stay tucked-in while mounted, the shirt sold well. But then Westmoor made a great decision.
They listened to the salesmen who told them that the shirts would sell even better with pearl snap closures.
Westmoor started making shirts in that style, and The Gambler exploded. Still, the company wanted a little bit more authentic feel, something with a name that felt at home in the west, something a little more catchy than simply being branded “Westmoor”.
Fortunately, the company reached out to salesman Ed Gassman, on the road at the time in Amarillo. More fortunately still, Gassman had been calling on accounts in the area, and had been in contact with tall, lanky cowboys who loved his products.
Panhandle Slim is a tribute to those cowboys, and one heck of a branding decision. The brand has become synonymous with Western shirts and fashion.
The company moved to Nebraska, and then Fort Worth, and is going strong today. Founded in 2009, Rock&Roll Denim is a part of the Westmoor Brands family, with a mission to blend authentic western wear with contemporary fashion.
What does that mean for us? Well, our Mooresville store manager, Tonea Birdsong, said the brands are an eye-catching addition to her store’s inventory, particularly among certain customer demographics.
“I think that the fun prints and the colors definitely make the brand stand out from everything else we have in the store, and the novelty of some of the prints appeal to our younger customers,” she said. “We do a lot more with those styles up front on our mannequins because it really does pop when you walk in the store.”
That merchandising element has led to increased interest in the products.
“I think it’s sold well in all our stores, so I definitely think it has a different appeal than some of our other offerings. It stands out completely, and it’s a completely different product for men. Our women’s collection has done well, particularly the dresses.”
Those dresses have been a big hit, even with our team members. Mauldin Assistant Store Manager Brittany Sanders is a huge fan, and picked out a couple for herself.
“The dresses are soft and comfy,” she said. “They don’t feel stiff or get that sticky hot feeling while you’re wearing them, even if you’re pouring sweat.”
Dresses aren’t all the Rock&Roll products she’s a fan of.
“I love that some of the jeans have the stretch that doesn’t look stretched-out by the end of the day,” she said. “How they fit when you first put them on is how they fit at the end of the day.”
She’s also a fan of the products from a professional standpoint.
“I love the variety from Rock&Roll and Panhandle,” she said. “It’s not the similar look and style as some of our other brands. I feel like it reaches both the younger and older customers by having such variety. Especially with having a good selection of dresses to choose from for young ladies and women.”
