Retail News
New kid on the block: The Class Room bridges the gap between men's high fashionand streetwear
The Class Room's store design has hints of both minimalism and vintage design.Paolo Sagullo / The Class Room
The gentlemen behind The Class Room believe that great customer service - likeproviding complimentary whiskey - is one of the many things that sets theirstore apart.Paolo Sagullo / The Class Room
The Class Room created an exclusive Houston edition Ebbets Field Flannelsbaseball cap in conjunction with the Seattle based company.Paolo Sagullo / The Class Room
There’s a new kid on the block in Houston’s expanding contemporary menswear scene: The Class Room. Located in Rice Village, the new boutique stocks an assortment of casual, well-made men’s essentials from brands like Tantum, Brooklyn Circus, Jungmaven, Tanner Goods, Naked & Famous and more.
“The way we dress isn’t super fashion-y, but we’re not really as into streetwear as we used to be either,” said Alan Javillonar, who co-owns the store along with Jon “Cabby” Caballero, Paolo Sagullo, Asif Razvi and Justin Mody. “Our store is a reflection of that.”
The seeds for The Class Room were planted in 2005, when Caballero, a self-professed “amateur sneakerhead,” was completing his education at the University of Texas. “I knew at that point that I wanted to start my own business, and I thought it would be cool to open a sneaker boutique,” he said.
Upon graduating in 2007, Caballero temporarily tabled his entrepreneurial ambitions to work in the oil industry. Last year, when he learned that the company he worked for was about to be bought out and restructured, Caballero decided to pursue his college dream instead of re-entering the corporate world.
“We want people to think of Houston when they think of cool cities,” Javillonar explained. “We want people to think of the great restaurants and the great boutiques.”
He consulted with a few of his friends and quickly realized that streetwear and expensive sneakers may not be the most viable market to enter. Through his cousin Hazel, Caballero met Javillonar.
“He was on top of menswear, and I needed that knowledge,” Caballero said. While completing school to become a C.P.A., Javillonar picked up a part time job at J. Crew, where he was able to cultivate his interests in men’s clothing and customer service. The two discussed their vision for opening a men’s clothing store one night over dinner, and The Class Room was born.
Well, actually, Pavement was born, but that name was already taken by a Japanese store with a similar aesthetic. In the process of attempting to come up with a new name, the partners talked about how their personal styles were much classier than they used to be, and the The Class Room came to fruition.
Playing on traditional conceptions of a classroom, the store features a large chalkboard behind the register and a logo reminiscent of elementary school style paper.
Interior architect and designer Renee Galang of Raye Studios is largely responsible for the pared down aesthetic of the space: Think white white walls and minimalist furnishings. “I always knew that if I owned a store, I wanted it to look like the Apple store,” Caballero said.
Javillonar, on the other hand, loves all things vintage, which explains the locally refurbished bike, antique yearbook photos and vintage Florsheim shoes lining the the bookshelves.
In creating The Class Room, it was important for both Javillonar and Caballero to establish a space that contributed to the greater Houston culture. As a result, you can find products from Houston’s own Hamilton Shirt Co. and an exclusive Houston edition Ebbets Field Flannels baseball cap — made in the U.S.A., of course — at the store.
“We want people to think of Houston when they think of cool cities,” Javillonar explained. “We want people to think of the great restaurants and the great boutiques.”
The team also had nothing but good things to say about several other men’s stores in Houston, such as Mortar, Billy Reid and Reserve Supply Co. “Mortar was the first one here, and we respect them so much for that,” Javillonar said. They listed San Francisco’s Unionmade and Malmo, Sweden’s Tres Bien Shop as other stores that they count as inspirations for their own.
For spring, expect a new online store and many of the same brands with the addition of Mark McNairy New Amsterdam and Fresh Jive. An online store is also in the works.
According to Caballero, the community response has been excellent so far. “Ultimately, we want to keep bringing new brands to Houston and expand to other cities. But the most important thing for us is to build a brand and write our own story,” he said. “And we want to always stay humble and stay hungry.”
The Class Room is located in Rice Village at 2534 Amherst.
