It was one of those mornings. You can’t seem to get yourself out the door, forgot your keys, where are your sunglasses, no time to make coffee…. So you treat yourself to an over-priced trendy café coffee, and zoom out onto Western Ave, which at this point has become your personal race track/Frogger adventure. In the midst of dodging cars, the woman in front of you stops short, and your coffee launches itself from the cupholder to the floor of the car, you haven’t even taken one sip. Ugh.
This tragic episode occurred on my way to interview Steve Rich, the owner of Leonard Adler & Co. As I entered the office, with a frantic-I-spilled-my-coffee look on my face, Steve returned it with a calm, “I just brewed a whole pot.“ Thank God.
For the next hour, Steve and I sipped our coffees and talked about the history of Leonard Adler, the economy’s effect on the local apparel industry, and building a community (you knew I would throw that one in there, right?)
This tragic episode occurred on my way to interview Steve Rich, the owner of Leonard Adler & Co. As I entered the office, with a frantic-I-spilled-my-coffee look on my face, Steve returned it with a calm, “I just brewed a whole pot.“ Thank God.
For the next hour, Steve and I sipped our coffees and talked about the history of Leonard Adler, the economy’s effect on the local apparel industry, and building a community (you knew I would throw that one in there, right?)
Leonard Adler was established in 1903 as a fur-manufacturing supplier by a man named Joseph Adler who was Leonard's father. Steve Rich’s father, who was a furrier, would bring him to the State/Lake building to wait in the car and watch for the meter maid while he bought supplies from Leonard Adler. In 1961, Steve graduated college and wanted to be a pharmacist. His dad had other plans; he wanted Steve to start selling tailoring supplies for the new family business, Rich Supply House. The idea didn’t go over too well, as Steve will admit, he didn’t even know what a tailor was! Nonetheless, he cruised around the city in his 1954 Mercury with a suitcase full of seam bindings, thread, and trims. For 10 weeks, he peddled supplies to local tailor shops but soon saw a ceiling to this business model. As any business savvy entrepreneur would do, Steve started calling bigger clients and getting larger orders. By the early 70’s, Rich Supply House was one of the top 5 tailoring suppliers, selling to accounts in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
In the meantime, Leonard Adler had decided to sell his family business. Steve took over Leonard Adler & Co in January of 1985, he kept the Adler name because they had been in business since 1903 and had reached a wide customer base.
Through 50 years of being an independent business owner, Steve has sought opportunity and adapted his business for the current market. His first location selling as Leonard Adler was next door to Columbia College, which had a blossoming fashion design program. At that point, Steve started selling supplies to students and is now the preferred supplier for all the local design programs.
And let’s face it; the fashion map of Chicago has had its ups and downs. Steve admits that he has lost a lot of the bigger clients to overseas sourcing and manufacturing; Marshall Fields, Carson Pirie Scott, and Bloomingdales. But the recent economy has resulted in an influx of young designers. And he strives to create a supply shop that caters to the small designer.
In the meantime, Leonard Adler had decided to sell his family business. Steve took over Leonard Adler & Co in January of 1985, he kept the Adler name because they had been in business since 1903 and had reached a wide customer base.
Through 50 years of being an independent business owner, Steve has sought opportunity and adapted his business for the current market. His first location selling as Leonard Adler was next door to Columbia College, which had a blossoming fashion design program. At that point, Steve started selling supplies to students and is now the preferred supplier for all the local design programs.
And let’s face it; the fashion map of Chicago has had its ups and downs. Steve admits that he has lost a lot of the bigger clients to overseas sourcing and manufacturing; Marshall Fields, Carson Pirie Scott, and Bloomingdales. But the recent economy has resulted in an influx of young designers. And he strives to create a supply shop that caters to the small designer.
Leonard Adler & Co is now located at 3018 W Montrose. When I asked Steve to describe his shop in a few words, he replied, “We sell garment construction supplies”. And that includes not only thread but also buttons, zippers, fusible, linings, elastics, snaps, hook and eyes, seam bindings, men’s waistbands, size labels, care labels. Steve elaborates, “We carry the highest quality merchandise. Most of our elastics and fusible are made in the US.“ He also mentioned that they are starting to carry leftover fabrics from local designers, which will be available by the yard.
Emerging designers, fashion students, and the at-home creatives all must visit Leonard Adler. The variety of supplies available is truly the highest quality for any/all garment construction. And let’s say you are having, “one of those mornings”. Only this time, you are in the middle of production on a Men’s trouser, the factory calls to ask why you did not drop off the zippers for the fly. But you did drop off the zippers. No, there are no zippers at the factory. Then its time to race up Western Ave. and grab some last minute zippers from Leonard Adler & Co.
Leonard Adler & Co is as passionate about building the local fashion community as we are! Stop in there anytime and Steve will counsel you on what to buy and where to go in this city to get your project complete.
Emerging designers, fashion students, and the at-home creatives all must visit Leonard Adler. The variety of supplies available is truly the highest quality for any/all garment construction. And let’s say you are having, “one of those mornings”. Only this time, you are in the middle of production on a Men’s trouser, the factory calls to ask why you did not drop off the zippers for the fly. But you did drop off the zippers. No, there are no zippers at the factory. Then its time to race up Western Ave. and grab some last minute zippers from Leonard Adler & Co.
Leonard Adler & Co is as passionate about building the local fashion community as we are! Stop in there anytime and Steve will counsel you on what to buy and where to go in this city to get your project complete.
Also, he will be hosting our Apparel Industry Networking event on Sept. 6th, 6:30-8:30.
Join us in building an apparel-minded community in Chicago.
Join us in building an apparel-minded community in Chicago.
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