Our latest installment of At Work features a luminary of the Chicago restaurant scene, John Manion. A trailblazing chef bringing Brazilian and Argentinian flavors to Chicago, while also serving as a pioneer in the now-scorching hot Fulton Market district. John's story is interesting, his experiences well rounded, and his answers insightful and entertaining. It was truly a pleasure speaking with him, and we hope you enjoy.
At Stock, we like to see ourselves as bridge from the past to present, and often reference vintage garments to get a better understanding of construction and, most importantly, quality. We're also avid collectors of classic design, whether it's watches, cars, records or furniture.
Many of our like-minded friends and customers find themselves scouring for the best vintage out there, so we’re starting a new series to highlight some individuals who have successfully completed the deep dives and come to surface with a grail. Or two. For our first installment we went sailing, cruised around, and sat down with our pal Clayton Beck to talk Porsche, Rolex, and birth-year collecting.
At Stock we use time-tested methods of production and appreciate the fine details that make a garment built to last. For our At Work series, we focus on like-minded businesses and individuals who don’t do things the expedient way, but the right way. For our newest installment, we’re featuring the sublime Lost Lake. Drawing from 80 years of cocktail history, the Logan Square oasis delivers an authentic tiki experience in a setting fit for a Hemingway novel. For those of us who clamor for tropical vibes but are too impatient--or broke--to fly out to Maui, fear not. This place serves up libations good enough to make you belie​ve you ​are the old man in the sea.
At Stock we use time-tested methods of production and appreciate the fine details that make a garment built to last. For our At Work series, we focus on like-minded companies and individuals who don’t do things the expedient way, but the right way.
This time, we’re featuring a business down the street from our store, Metric Coffee. Started in 2013, the company quickly gained acclaim for their delicious coffee--Chicago Magazine’s “Best Espresso” in 2017--and shop, which ZAGAT, Eater and Roast Magazine have featured.Â
We sat down with owners Darko and Xavier to hear more about where they’ve been and where they’re headed.
Heading into this spring, we wanted to take two of our most popular styles, the denim work shirt and the banded collar popover, and create a truly unique collection. Our very first choice was to partner with our friends Kiriko in Portland to help us find rare Japanese textiles to implement into our garments. Kiriko is a lifestlye brand that specializes in the sourcing and re-interpretation of rare and vintage Japanese fabrics.
Recently, we stopped by one of our favorite spots in town, Hopewell Brewing Company, to shoot some photos and chat with the founders. Jonathan Fritz, co-founder, distribution dynamo, and sometime star of Netflix's "Easy" was kind enough to hang out and give us a peek behind the curtain.
The product of over two years worth of research and work, we've opened a new factory that employs Lean Manufacturing techniques to maximize efficiency, and the well-being of our operators.
Momotaro merges traditional Japanese aesthetics with Western sensibilities for an incredible culinary experience. Our task was to carry this look and feel over to the staff uniforms.
When one of Chicago's hottest interior design firms asks you to team up on uniform design for the new "Enchanted Forest" themed steakhouse from one of the most exciting restaurant groups in the city, you drop everything and get to work.
Over the years, we've been lucky enough to collaborate with some of the most prominent restaurant groups in Chicago. Our first project with One Off Hospitality, however, was truly a seminal moment for us.
Blending CDW's decades of down manufacturing experience with our unique eye for design and detail, the Northwoods Down Parka is our Chicago-centric take on their iconic Arctic Montagne.
We were recruited by High Life to design and manufacture a menswear capsule collection celebrating the rich heritage of their iconic beer, drawing inspiration from over 100 years of High Life's historical print ads.
This 90 second short commercial tells the story of our collaboration with Miller High Life, and gives you a look at what makes these two brands tick, as well as the different ads that inspired each garment. It's also just a really damn cool video.
Beer and Clothing from Kevin Steen on Vimeo.
The American Road Trip is a timeless piece of Americana. It reminds us of a simpler time, and allows us a glimpse of just how vast and beautiful nation truly is. We teamed up with Boston's Ball & Buck and San Francisco's Taylor Stitch to condense this quintessential American experience into a collection.
The Chicago Athletic Association hotel was built in time for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and was brilliantly re-imagined in 2015 to include the James Beard Award winning Cherry Circle Room, Cindy's, and Game Room. We made sure the staff was outfitted accordingly.
Historically, reversible garments were developed to serve two distinct functions. For example, a reversible jacket may be cotton on one side, and waxed canvas on the other in case of sudden inclement weather. The Stock 2-in-1 short sleeve shirts are reversible simply for the function of two different looks, or possibly to instantly and fashionably conceal an unsightly stain. The idea came to us while browsing a swatch book from our favorite Japanese textile mill and stumbled upon a light airy double cloth. This particular fabric is unique in that it's two different woven fabrics tacked together, allowing for very different appearances (i.e. plaid/solid, stripe/polka dot). To develop a shirt that's fully reversible, we had to get creative. The initial...
Steven:Â Long story short or short story long, what's the timeline on how you got to where you are now? Aaron:Â We've been around since 2011, so about four years now. It kind of all started when I would draw on canvas shoes in college. Then, through word of mouth or on Facebook I had people start asking me to make shoes for them. After graduating college in 2008, I bought a one-way ticket to Argentina because I really wanted to learn Spanish and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. While volunteering for an organization that worked with street kids in the slums, I met my then future business partner, Raaja, who I sold a pair of hand-designed...
For Father's Day 2015, we wanted to do something special to honor the men who truly helped Stock get it's start: our own dads. Each of our fathers either started or took over a family-run small business and have taught us the spirit of entrepreneurship, how to conduct business in an ethical way, and how to weather the storm when going gets tough. For this collection, we (with some help from our moms) dug up vintage photographs of our dads that we thought best captured the spirit of who they are. With the dates in these pictures ranging from the mid-70's to the mid-80's, it's a testament to the timeless cool of these legends that we were able to create...
