Memo

100 years of family, friends and fashion

If you spend any time around the Shaia family, you’ll know that we are natural storytellers. I have to believe that it comes from my great-grandfather, S.G. Shaia, who started our family’s business. In his early days, before he settled in Homewood, he walked the county with his store in the 100-pound pack on his back. He told stories, so many stories. In 1922, he gave up his wandering ways and settled in the very spot where Shaia’s sits today. Most of you know now that my father, J.L., spent his entire career in our family business. The stories he tells about working with his grandfather, father and brother Leo, about building a business and serving people in such a way that they become more than customers—they become lifelong friends. When I was growing up, those stories, for me, were our family history. The characters, our family, our employees, our customers, our vendors, all became family in my mind. That’s the world I grew up in. Going to market with my father when I was 17. Working and learning every day from my father and my uncle. Meeting so many designers and experts who later become legends in the industry. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers: The Story of Success, wrote that “Who we are cannot be separated from where we’re from.”

Of course, our business has changed. We were many things before we became one of the most noted men’s clothing stores in the country. Something my father taught me many years ago is still true today: Quality has no fear of time. But what he taught me had nothing to do with well-made clothing—it had everything to do with living a life of quality. Dad was honored by MR magazine with its 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. And I promise you, our family will be telling his stories for many generations to come. —Ken Shaia

Our crew:

Ken Shaia (at left) and the people who make it all happen every day: Hannah, Greg, Beverly, Gerri, Ken, Fonda, Nathan and Vanessa. Not pictured are Ibrahim, Liudmyla and Ike.

SHAIA’S |

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VISIT US AT: 2818 18TH STREET SOUTH IN HOMEWOOD | WWW.SHAIAS.COM | @SHAIAS_1922 ON INSTAGRAM 2818 18TH STREET SOUTH HOMEWOOD, AL 35209 205-871-1312 WWW.SHAIAS.COM

STORE HOURS TUESDAY-FRIDAY: 9 AM TO 6 PM SATURDAY: 10 AM TO 5PM CLOSED SUNDAY & MONDAY

Editor in chief RITA GUARNA creative Director STEPHEN M. VITARBO art director SUSAN DENDY Senior Associate Editor DARIUS AMOS Lifestyle editor HALEY LONGMAN Contributing photographers BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER,

ART MERIPOL, CHRIS LUKER, MARY FEHR

Photo styling FONDA SHAIA

Publisher LIZETTE CHIN Associate Publisher CHARLES GARONE director of operations CATHERINE ROSARIO director of Advertising Services

JACQUELYNN FISCHER

Production manager FERN MESHULAM Production Artist CHRIS FERRANTE Accounting KASIE CARLETON, URSZULA JANECZKO,

STEVEN RESNICK

PUBLISHED BY

Chairman CARROLL V. DOWDEN President & CEO MARK DOWDEN Senior Vice Presidents RITA GUARNA, CARL OLSEN Vice Presidents LIZETTE CHIN, NIGEL EDELSHAIN,

THOMAS FLANNERY, COLEMAN MCCARTAN, BELINDA PINA, MARIA REGAN, STEVEN RESNICK, DIANE VOJCANIN

SHAIA’S Magazine is published by Wainscot Media, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656, in association with Shaia’s. Copyright © 2022 by Wainscot Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contributions: Write to Editor, Shaia’s, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656; telephone 201.782.5730; email rita.guarna@ wainscotmedia.com. The magazine is not responsible for the return or loss of unsolicited submissions.

Subscription Services: To change an address or request a subscription, write to Subscriptions, Shaia’s Circulation Department, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656; telephone 201.573.5541.

Advertising Inquiries: Email Lizette Chin at lizette.chin@wainscotmedia.com.