Fall Men's Fashion Stand-Outs!

Fact: The most exciting clothing hit the stores every fall. Walk with us through our Men's Store at FL Crooks & Co, and we'll point out the latest stand-outs. Here goes...

Founded in 1905 (just like FL Crooks & Co!), the BedStu company offers a broad selection of styles and unique looks in classic, vintage looking footwear. Inspired by the tough and resilient streets of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, these shoes are built to last a lifetime. Pick up a pair of BedStu shoes and marvel at the craftsmanship, made meticulously one pair at a time. BedStu sets a high bar for quality being handcrafted from the finest natural materials available.

Another company with its origin in the 1900's, 1903 to be exact, Stormy Kromer features a complete line of rugged outdoor clothing which all began with a six-paneled modified baseball cap. George "Stormy" Kromer was a real person, a baseball player and a railroad engineer. Working on long cold trips with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, he created a cap that was not only comfortable but had the ability to stay snug on his head. His wife, Ida, an excellent seamstress, created a cap for her husband which soon other railroad workers wanted as well. Hand-stitched in the USA, these caps are growing in popularity with new colors, new fabrics and new styles.

Continuing our walk through FL Crooks & Co, we come to what may be the 'nicest sweaters on earth' made by a company known as Laundromat. Combining a Canadian design team with tremendously skilled knitters in the country of Nepal, these artful sweaters are made of 100% natural wool and dyes. The sweaters feature chunky, hefty zippers and lined pockets and cleverly double as Spring/Fall jackets. Laundromat is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, striving to treat all people fairly in the creation of a product of utmost quality. Jim Crooks states that "we are the only store in Pennsylvania to carry this comfortable knitwear. These sweaters are very warm, very outdoorsy, and the women's sweaters by Laundromat are really cute!"

Vyella shirts are making their debut at FL Crooks & Co. as well. A blend of 55% merino wool and 45% cotton twill first woven in 1893 in England, Vyella is the 'first branded fabric in the world'. Developed by James and Robert Sissons of William Hollins & Co, spinners and hosiers, the brand name was first registered as a trademark in 1894 and in the US in 1907. These washable shirts now feature a unique combination of luxury and practicality with an intimate blend of natural fibers and are known for their ability to age gracefully. The company has a clever motto, claiming that the 'only thing better than a new Viyella is an old one'.

From traditional lines, we move to J.A.C.H.S., a high quality men's apparel line which is cut with a trim, modern fit. J.A.C.H.S. is known for a great fitting shirt which is affordable in price while being individual in style. The shirts feature custom piping and contrast lining. Jim Crooks points out that these shirts "all come with a bandana. Some are flannel shirts with hoods. We also feature a really cool pant with a cuff you can turn up." Jim came across this line at the PROJECT show in NYC on a recent buying trip.

Another line for the younger guy is Fox Racing. A family owned and operated business, Fox Racing has become an international leader in the youth lifestyle clothing market with its famous Fox Head logo. FL Crooks & Co is carrying an extensive inventory of zip sweatshirts, hoodies, t-shirts, caps, back packs, and wallets. Constant research and fine-tuning goes into producing this fine apparel and performace gear.

And last but not least in our look at the Fall line up of stand-outs at FL Crooks & Co, for exceptional and durable quality look no further than Wigens caps. Originating in Sweden, Oscar Wigen founded the company in 1906 in the small town of Tranas. His goal was to make each hat flawless with painstaking attention to detail. The exquisite fabrics used make each piece a treasured heirloom, functioning with a quiet and unsurpassed confidence.

Do come in to our store, located at 539 Main Street in Clarion. And check us out on-line at www.flcrooks.com as well. Fall and fashion go together hand in hand. See what discoveries you can make while on your own personal walk through FL Crooks & Co.

Coming of Age - Happy 21st Birthday to the World Wide Web!

Happy Birthday to the World Wide Web!

The Oil City Derrick recently featured an article by Gene Policinski with the aforementioned title. Policinski is senior vice president and executive director of the First Amendment Center located in Nashville, Tennessee. In the article, Policinski points out that the World Wide Web was born on August 6, 1991 which would make the phenomenon 21 years of age today. The World Wide Web (WWW) "debuted as a publicly available and revolutionary communication service just a few months before the 200th anniversary of the ratification of the First Amendment as part of the Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791. Thanks to you, the world - and the First Amendment's five freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition - would never be viewed the same way again." Indeed, the WWW has enhanced the way we do business at FL Crooks & Co. on Main Street in Clarion, Pennsylvania.
 

When our son, Nathan, turned 13 years of age in 1996, we gave him a computer as a birthday gift. His creative father, Jim, devised a clever treasure hunt that sent Nathan all over the neighborhood with clues that eventually led to the computer's hiding place. And what a gift it turned out to be for a lad with an inquisitive nature and a questioning mind. For Nathan, and his generation, it was like a fish in water, a natural fit. It wasn't long until Nathan had his dad's store on-line. And Nathan was recognized for his achievement when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette named him an All-Star Achiever with an impressive write-up in the paper his senior year of high school.
 

In the early days of our on-line web presence, in the latter 90's, we sold Tommy Hilfiger briefs by the dozens. Ralph Lauren's Polo Jeans Company was another big seller. (Unfortuately, Ralph Lauren has discontinued that division of his company.) Shoes quickly became a dominant staple online, with the Allen Edmonds company one of our customer's favorites. Nowadays, the number one selling item online is the Sugar Lips Tank Top in White. The number one selling shoe online is the "Tampa" by the NAOT company. Moreover, the Tresics tops, Tulle coats, Levi jeans, The North Face apparel, Patagonia clothing, Johnston & Murphy shoes, Merrell shoes, and DANSKO shoes are all in high demand with web shoppers.
 

Referring back to Policinski's article, he points out how the "Web moved from being a toy to a tool - from a place for gamers, sports fans and early adopters to a widely used utility, a good place to get practical information, a new platform for self-expression. Companies found they could promote their wares and do business through you, thus forever altering the retail market... But as with all of us entering adulthood, nobody really knows your potential, where you will end up or what your full impact will be. We do know you've matured from toy to tool to necessity. We spend much of our days looking at media through you."
 

Keeping up with how the WWW has become quite a challenge. There are the delights and challenges of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. right at our doorstep. I just read about another facet of social media yesterday called The Fancy which I want to check out.
 

In closing, Policinski's sums up his article eloquently, "The nation's Founders lived in a time when freedom of speech meant the right to say what you wanted to your neighbor, and perhaps also to people gathered on the village green. That freedom has moved from the village green to the village screen, with its enormous capacity to reach individuals, communities, nations, the world."
 

FL Crooks & Co was founded in 1905. At that time, who could have foreseen how the World Wide Web would forever change the way business is transacted. May we continue to use it wisely. Happy Birthday World Wide Web!