Proud to be a Fort Wayne Blue Jacket Drop Off Location

For further information:
Tony Hudson, Executive Director
Blue Jacket, Inc.
(W) 260-744-1900 / (C) 260-437-5071
ahudson@bluejacketinc.org

Clothing Donor Receives $9,000 from a Shocking Source

March 31, 2016, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA

A donor who wishes to remain anonymous gathered her husband’s suits, shirts, and slacks and decided to donate them to a charity that she read about in the newspaper a few years prior.  She drove to the Blue Jacket Clothing Co. on South Calhoun in Fort Wayne on February 26th and donated her husband’s clothes.  She was impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the great care that they took in receiving her donation, until they asked for her contact information.  She wanted to be a silent supporter, not wanting a tax write-off, and was kind of “put off” by their requests.  According to the staff, this was their typical protocol for transparency and efficiency and though reluctant, she agreed to provide her name and email address.  This later turned out to be a wise decision, a $9,000 decision.

The following week would have been their 50th Wedding Anniversary, but her husband passed away in February, 2016 after a three year-long battle with a terminal cancer.  This was another reason why she did not wish to be contacted after the donation of all of his clothes.  She did not notice the number of missed calls from Blue Jacket staff later that afternoon until her daughter informed her that Blue Jacket employees contacted her and had something really important to talk about.  She promptly drove back down to Calhoun Street and met with Blue Jacket employees.  Not only did the amount astonish her, but how he kept it secret for so many years, stuffing it away in a jacket tucked far back in his closet also surprised her.  But the most surprising to her was the extent that Blue Jacket employees and volunteers hunted her down to return the $9,000 to her.

Her husband was a saver, and had been documenting every deposit for at least three years.  He was a detailed gentleman, acquiring that trait from his experience in the military.  What he did not document however, was the intention of the savings stuffed away in a jacket.  According to the donor, it could have been for a cruise on their 50th wedding anniversary, maybe a new dream car, or for the mounting funeral or hospital expenses.  But though she and her family do not know for certain, the timeliness and manner it was found emulated a posthumous, divinely-timed gift to cover the vast funeral expenses.  This is where all the monies were applied.

The donor recalled that, “At first I was not going to give my name when I donated the clothes.  My daughter reminded me that if I decided to donate to any other thrift store, that my name and contact information would not have been collected, or that important.  I am thankful for choosing Blue Jacket.”

What makes this story even more compelling is that $9,000 was found by a Blue Jacket graduate, one that has a criminal record.  Blue Jacket’s commitment to give second chances for someone who made mistakes in the past equally holds him or her accountable to make the right, ethical decisions.  While processing the donation, he noticed an abnormally large bulge in the suit.  Once he found it, he immediately notified the store manager and others working nearby.  Blue Jacket clients day after day prove that a bad decision should not define them, that everybody deserves a second chance at redemption.

Blue Jacket forms the institution of trust, allowing people to regain it through hard work.  But this story started with a person that did it when no one was looking.  He cherishes the trust that he has because there was a point when he did not have it.  Stories like this continue to foster the importance of forgiveness and of becoming redeemable, a story that Blue Jacket continues to press with second chances that are earned as it exhibits artwork for the next month at the Artlink Gallery of 13 stories of redemption told by some of the best artists in Fort Wayne, up until April 13th, 2016.

Jarrod Williams, the Blue Jacket Clothing Co. Manager stated that, “I am just happy to be able to play a part in this incredible ”secret gift”  story in the order of me just doing my job, I got to be the person to inform Patricia of the great find.”

This would have not been a story without an honest person once labelled an “ex-con,” the insistence to record a name for procedure’s sake, the persistence to return lost money to its rightful owner, and most importantly, a loving husband’s gift to his wife of nearly 50 years.  “I was already impressed by the Blue Jacket mission when I read about them in the paper years ago, then I was blown away by the cleanliness and professionalism of this high-end professional thrift store.  But when I met the staff that took such great care to honor me and my privacy, I was floored and would like all of Fort Wayne to know what kind of people they are dealing with at Blue Jacket,” the donor said.

Tony Hudson, Executive Director at Blue Jacket, was just thankful that he was able to meet the donor and take part in the story.  “I was happy to learn more about her husband and how God blessed his final months on Earth with his very sweet wife that he spent two thirds of his life with.  I am so happy that we were able to find her name and number on the newly processed clothing, then find the obituary that eventually lead to the location of her daughter who connected us.  What a cool story.”

Blue Jacket is a 10-year old nonprofit with a mission to provide education, training, and opportunities to any disadvantaged person who is striving to earn a second chance at gainful employment.  It cut its teeth on the hardest-to-employ returning inmates and has since opened its doors to anyone who is disadvantaged in the marketplace.  It has an in-house staffing agency along with the Blue Jacket Clothing Company that sells the high end clothes to fund its clothing bank that gives clothes out for free to the students of the job readiness training called the Career Academy.

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Your New Favorite Shirt Brand: Stenströms

Your New Favorite Shirt Brand: Stenströms

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Nice shirts at an affordable price are hard to find. That’s why Strenströms, a highly respected brand of dress and sport shirts, is a treasure. The shirts are great, and they’ll fit your frame as well as your wallet. We just got Strenströms shirts in here at Christopher James in Fort Wayne, and we’re excited to share them with you.

Strenströms is a Swedish company admired around the world by men of all types, job titles, and lifestyles. The one thing all Strenströms customers have in common, however, is their preference for high-quality, classic shirts. Strenströms shirts are sewn mostly by hand, made from fine fabrics and have a timeless, elegant aesthetic.

In fact, Stenströms is so good at making clothing that they were tapped to provide garments to the Royal Court of Sweden. According to Stenströms’ website, this honor entitles them to use the phrase, “By appointment to H.M. the King of Sweden.”

So, if Strenströms is fit for a king, it’s obviously fit for you, too. Obviously.

Come get a few of these great shirts today. We are confident you’ll love them as much as we do. We’re located here.  See you soon.

Say Goodbye To Cathy Party at Christopher James This Thursday!

THANK-YOU-CATHY
Cathy is retiring at the end of the month and we want all her friends to have a chance to say goodbye.

Please join us this Thursday, March 24 from 12 – 7 pm as we thank Cathy for her 20 years of service and wish her well on the new chapter in her life.

We’re sad to see her go but are happy for her and Mitch as they embark on their retirement in Georgia.

Club Soda will be providing food and drinks and we welcome all of you to stop in.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED!

What’s New With Robert Talbott for Spring 2016

What’s New With Robert Talbott for Spring 2016

Robert Talbott is one of our favorite year-round brands, but we especially love it in the spring. Their use of color and pattern is perfect for when the temperature in Fort Wayne warms and you want a little more pep in your step.

Here’s a look at what’s new for Spring 2016 from Robert Talbott:

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Caption: The famous Robert Talbott seven-fold tie. Learn more about it here.

Come into Christopher James Menswear today and get your Robert Talbott Spring 2016 attire. We’re located here and we look forward to seeing you.

Samuelsohn’s 10 Must Have Spring Items

 Samuelsohn’s 10 Must Have Spring Items 

Samuelsohn is treating us to their top 10 wardrobe essentials for spring. Arnold Brant Silverstone, Samuelsohn’s chief creative officer, curated his personal 10 must-have clothing items, and made them into the exclusive A.B.S. 10 Collection, available now at Christopher James Menswear in Fort Wayne.

The collection includes five every day pieces and five pieces that are on-trend for spring 2016. Here’s a preview:

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You must see these pieces in person. Christopher James Menswear is your only source for this collection in Fort Wayne, so visit the shop today. We’re located here.

We look forward to seeing you.

March Madness Pool

Enter the Christopher James Menswear Bracket Madness Pool.

It’s free to enter. Winner receives a $100 Christopher James Menswear gift card. Everyone gets an offer for entering.

http://mmchallenge.com/cjames/

Janus Motorcycles Featured at Christopher James Menswear

 

Janus_Motor_Mastead3 Janus Motorcycles will be featuring their bikes at the Christopher James Menswear Trunk Show on March 17, 2016 from 3-8p.m. Both motorcycle novices and enthusiasts are encouraged to drop in to test drive the bikes and ask questions.

ABOUT JANUS MOTORCYCLES:
Channeling a vintage aesthetic with modern engineering, Goshen, Indiana’s new startup, Janus Motorcycles, is proud to introduce their American-made, regionally sourced motorcycles to the national marketplace.

With a mixed background in architecture and mechanics, the co-owners, Richard Worsham and Devin Biek, saw a need for a scalable, yet fast bike that urban dwellers could afford. With deep roots in Elkhart County, Janus Motorcycles created a network of the area’s rich source of independent manufactures that ultimately spawned their two handmade bikes – the Halcyon 250 and Phoenix 250.

“Devin has lived and worked in Elkhart County his whole life, but I moved here after realizing the passionate tradition of quality manufacturing this area provides,” Janus Motorcycles Co-founder Richard Worsham said. “By keeping our business regionally built, we have created a model that is much to the liking of the farm-to-table trend; keeping prices low without sacrificing the high-end quality.”

Originating the name from the Roman god of the past and future, the motorcycles hail the highest level of design, influenced by the ‘20s Norton Motorcycle and the ‘60s café racers, yet features the modern mechanics of speed and safety. Both products are custom made for every order and sport handmade leather saddle seats, powerful 250cc single-cylinder engines and an anti-dive front suspension, developed by the Janus team.

“We are not industry insiders; we are a small company handcrafting small bikes,” Worsham said. “With my background in architecture and Devin’s in mechanics, we produce a product that channels function and beauty in equal parts. Our goal is to produce bikes that are engineered to connect the rider with speed and agility that will make riding fun again.”

For more information on Janus Motorcycles, or to place an order please visit their website: www.janusmotorcycles.com.

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Janus Motorcycles are designed and built to inspire joy in each owner. From their small production shop in northern Indiana, Janus Motorcycles bring together the the best of Midwestern handmade craftsmanship and modern manufacturing. Time-tested style makes each Janus an eye-catching machine, while a modern, lightweight design provides a thrilling riding experience that is altogether unique in American motorcycles. In a marketplace of over-powered, heavyweight machines, their Phoenix and Halcyon models inspire motorcyclists new and old that appreciate classic style, simplicity, and freedom.

NFL players visit Fort Wayne Store

Thank you to Cincinnati Bengals All Pro tight end Tyler Eifert and his soon to be brother in law, Dallas Cowboys center Zach Martin for visiting Christopher James last week. Tyler is sporting his new Circle of Gentleman shirt while Zach is wearing a Robert Talbott sport shirt. These guys were in town as we are outfitting them for Zach’s upcoming wedding. Congratulations to you and Morgan on your big day and thanks for being such good sports and letting us include you in our blog

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Last Call Leap Year Savings at Christopher James- 75% OFF! 3 Days Only!

The clock is ticking as spring is right around the corner and new, spring merchandise is arriving daily. I still need to get rid of some fall/winter merchandise so for 3 DAYS ONLY ALL remaining sale  sportswear, outerwear, shoes, denim, ties, and dress shirts are 75% OFF! Suits and sport coats are 60% OFF.

Sale starts Friday at 10:00 am and runs through close of business Monday, February 29 at 7:00 pm.

IPFW Basketball Coach Jon Coffman Voted Sexiest Coach

Congratulations to IPFW Basketball Coach Jon Coffman and his IPFW Mastodons as they continue their march to a Summit League championship. We knew Coach was a good looking guy and our thoughts were confirmed by this article in SB Nation. (By the way, we think the #6 ranking was a little low…) When I asked Coach about the article he responded, ‘It’s definitely the suit! I have gotten a ton of compliments from fans and opposing coaches. Thanks for improving my look.”

We appreciate the kind words and best of luck with your two remaining games this week before the Summit League Tournament in March. Go Mastodons!