Along with it being my hometown and being around family, from a business perspective it made a lot of sense to open the shop here.
Todd Hancock – TENDEN
“I started making clothing about 20 years ago. When I started, I wanted to make things I wore on a daily basis, like blue jeans and a button-up shirt. I’m self-taught, and I wore the first 100 things I made and didn’t sell them as I was learning the techniques.
The construction techniques have taken me a long time to learn because they date back to the early tailors. There’s a reason things were made that way—it made things last. Having the right machinery and tools combined with those construction techniques makes a huge difference in the quality of your product. It’s been a lot of hard work, but I’m at the point where I’m confident in everything I produce.
At first, I had been selling on Etsy and at markets for a long time as a side gig while I also worked as a bartender. For a couple of years, I traveled to markets in Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis…the whole circuit. But then we had a kid, the traveling took me away from my family, being away started to get to me.
So I opened a storefront, TENDEN here in Grand Haven, four years ago. TENDEN offers classic menswear with quality construction and fabrics sourced primarily from the U.S. and Japan. I also make accessories like tote bags, messenger bags, and duffel bags. I suppose I could be putting myself out of business, but I want to make a product that will easily last five to 10 years or more.
If I had opened my business in Brooklyn, Austin, or Portland, I would have competition on every other block. But here in Michigan, I could tell you of maybe five other people who are doing something similar. Along with it being my hometown and being around family, from a business perspective it made a lot of sense to open the shop here.”
