JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A third-generation master tailor talked about the legacy of excellence his father and grandfather created that paved the way for his success today.
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Family means everything to Mariano Mendez Jr. His family’s journey began three decades ago when his grandfather, Pedro Mendez left his home in Cuba and came to Harlem.
“So many people from Jacksonville lived in Harlem and so many people from Harlem would travel down to Jacksonville, especially for summer vacations and stuff like that,” Mariano Mendez said.
Pedro Mendez started his business in a retail space at the historic Masonic Temple at 410 Broad Street during the 1920s. It’s still standing today.
Mariano Mendez took over the family business in 2009, his father started that business in 1975, and his grandfather started a business in 1927 in Jacksonville.
One of his grandfather’s first clients was Bishop McKissick at Bethel Baptist. He worked for McKissick’s father and they are still customers today.
In the early 1920s, there was no air conditioning, just huge fans, but his grandfather was still dressed sharply.
“He dressed in a three-piece suit, tie, and five-corner pocket square,” Mariano Mendez said. “Dapper every day.”
Their family business has been a staple in the community for over 98 years serving dignitaries and the man next door alike.
Mariano Mendez loves the transformation of clothes and custom creations the same way his father and grandfather did.
Not everyone has the opportunity to say something like that.
“I am proud of my family and the whole heritage,” he said. “I would love for my kids to have it but they are not into it.”
The tailoring business is changing due to the popularity of fast fashion or clothes that people can wear for a moment and then throw away.
For Mariano, the business remains a labor of love and a dream come true for three generations. With every needle and thread, Mendez isn’t just sewing clothes, he’s weaving together work handed down for nine decades.