When you visit this men's boutique, it's best to mind your Ps & Qs
After two years on South Street, a shop that features premium independent brands looks to educate consumers and increase online sales.
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KY CAO, 32, and his brother Rick, 34, both of Packer Park, are two of the co-founders of Ps & Qs, a trendy menswear boutique on South Street near 8th. The boutique, which opened in October 2012, also sells grooming products, boots and sneakers, pillows and books on fashion. I spoke with Ky.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Ps & Qs?
A: The idea was to create a timeless and quality men's store. We wanted to bring independent brands that are more interesting than [some of the mass-marketed ones] in Philadelphia.
Q: Startup money?
A: I have three partners and we all worked full-time and were living in New York. I was the first to leave and opened a men's [sneaker-and-streetwear] shop in Chinatown in 2008 called Abakus Takeout. We closed it in 2013.
Q: What are your best-sellers and what do they cost?
A: Norse Projects from Copenhagen is a popular brand and our top-seller. They have a rain jacket made of 100 percent PVC [a shiny, plastic-like material] that keeps you dry and sells for $275. Another brand is a bag company called Topo Designs, from Colorado. They have a messenger bag that has little straps you can pull out and make it into a book bag. That's $149. Baldwin denim from Kansas City is also popular. The average price for a pair of denim jeans is $220.
Q: Typical customers?
A: It could be an 18-year-old female buying a Topo bag or a 45-year-old male buying a Norse Projects jacket. About 70 percent of our customers are from the neighborhood, mostly young professionals.
Q: What differentiates your shop from others?
A: There are a whole bunch of different things on South Street, and the majority are independently owned. We're more of a lifestyle store and we don't cater to one category. We're not just rugged clothes or Oxford shirts. This is like our big closet.
Q: The name?
A: Ps & Qs is probably the best name I ever came up with. You want something that kind of relates to Philly, and South Street can get a little rowdy sometimes, so we like you to be on your Ps and Qs, your best behavior.
Q: What's been the biggest challenge growing the biz?
A: Educating people about price and quality. Some pieces may seem expensive, but we promote long term. You may pay $200 for a jacket or denim but you'll have it for 10 or 15 years.
Q: How big a biz is this?
A: Six employees. Me, my brother Rick and Joseph Lardizabal are co-founders; Saeed Ferguson is manager/assistant buyer. There are two others.
Q: What's next?
A: Ramping up online sales via social media. About 15 percent of our sales are online, mostly footwear and bags.
" @MHinkelman
Online: ph.ly/YourBusiness