There’s something about Greenspan’s

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES

No one mistakes South Gate for the epicenter of the fashion world, but an exception is Greenspan’s—“Serving the Lowrider Community Since 1928.” The historic clothing store’s clientèle includes James Brown, most of N.W.A, John Lee Hooker, Cypress Hill, House of Pain and Rancid (as well as the wardrobe departments from Boyz N The Hood, Of Mice and Men, The Doors and There’s Something About Mary)—yet this isn’t your upscale chichi boutique.

Let’s start with the layout: Traditional retail outlets opt for neatly folded shirts and pants resting comfortably on racks or shelves, but the shopping experience at Greenspan’s is more like a trip to the bargain bin. Customers enter through a narrow hallway with display cases on each side—oddly empty, it would seem, but it’s hard to tell (they’re covered in flyers and pictures).

Past this hallway is the center of the store. There’s a skinny path that’s always blocked by customers and the just-curious, as well as a bench where, more often than not, you’ll find someone sitting. This is where patrons get the wide angle shot of what’s available. On one wall hang beanies and wool and straw hats. At eye level there are various types of shoes, ranging from casual stuff to classy Stacey Adams and Romeos. And at the end of this path, underneath a mountain of clothes piled atop a desk, the cash register sits—at least I think so.

Here, at the end of the path, is where you hit pay dirt: a variety of men’s T-shirts hanging on racks and dumped in the middle of the floor. Greenspan’s is home to a plethora of Ben Davis, Dickies and Pendleton shirts; plaid button-ups; and solid and striped Charlie Browns, along with more rockabilly and lowrider-style shirts than a Social Distortion show. A small portion of the gear is folded on shelves, but most everything is suspended above ground.

Now, you could try to peel a shirt off of the hangers, but the items are jammed together so tightly it’s difficult to see exactly what you’re looking at. Besides, the good stuff sits on the floor in the middle of the room, anyway. You’d think these might be left dirty or somehow damaged, but they aren’t.

If other stores have departments, Greenspan’s has sections defined by boxes stacked upon one another. In the sweater section, V-necks leap from cardboard boxes into your closet. During a recent visit, I found a classy sleeveless brown sweater—classy, in a heathen sort of way. It sums up Greenspan’s perfectly: tough-looking on the outside, but smooth and comfortable on the inside.

Against an adjacent wall is the largest selection of thermal underwear I’ve ever seen—anywhere (even Wal-Mart). And behind this portion is where the oversized clothes are stored. (I’m neither wickedly tall nor rotund, but if I was, I’d get all my gear from Greenspan’s. Whatever is available for the average-sized man is also for sale for men of all shapes and sizes—comforting, should I ever want to look cool after a six-year pizza-eating binge.)

Lastly, a word about the employees: Many sport the lowrider style and look like the type who might knife you in a parking lot. They won’t. Not only is the staff at Greenspan’s incredibly nice, they’re always willing to jump in and help shoppers pull out that hidden gem from a stack of clothes. Hunting season is open.

GREENSPAN’S 3405 TWEEDY BLVD | SOUTH GATE 90280 | 323.566.5124 | GREENSPANS.COM

Tags: clothing, fashion, greenspans, lowrider, South Gate