Music Monday: Matt the Electrician

It's the second Monday of the month, and that calls for music! This week's feature artist is Matt the Electrician, an Austin, TX native who made his name playing in local bars and coffee shops. An electrician by day and rock star by night, Matt Sever, often headed straight to the show without changing out of his workday grub. Soon regulars began to identify the folk singer-songwriter as, Matt the Electrician, and so the name stuck. Today's Music Monday selection features Milo, off the Made for Working album. We hope you enjoy!

Concord, MA

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Where and What is Concord, MA?

Where can you hear cannons going off at noon on a Saturday afternoon or see men walking down the street in Revolutionary War garb and a musket? Concord, MA of course! Concord is our hometown and the influence behind our button downs. Here’s a history 101 on Concord:

• Concord is located 20 miles West of Boston and is rich in history, making it a great place for tourists to visit and stay.
• The FIRST battle of the American Revolutionary War took place in Concord, MA and the shot heard round the world was fired here.
• Some of the greatest authors of all time are from Concord. Just to name a few: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott. Henry James even called Concord, “the biggest little place in America.”

Did you know?

• Harvard took temporary residence in Concord during the Revolutionary War?
• Little Women took place in Concord?
• Concord grapes are from Concord, MA. Welch’s uses these grapes in their juices and jams and has a headquarters here.

Vote!

Today's election day so make sure you get out and vote!

Get To Know: Dan, CBD Founder

Get to know Dan, Founder of Concord Button Downs, through this exclusive CBD Blog Q&A. We covered all the basics from favorite hobbies, to personal role model, to "what the heck do you do for CBD?". Read our special below...

When you're not wearing a CBD, what are your favorite brands?

Anything that embodies a traditional or classic style. My interest in boutique clothiers started when I discovered, Southern Marsh, a company based down south. Since then I've come across a few other great brands such as Jack Donnelly Khakis, Collard Greens, Knot Clothing & Belt Co., etc. etc. There recently has been a large emersion of small/local clothing lines, all which I am a big fan of!

What are you passionate about?

What am I passionate about?...good question! I guess from a CBD standpoint, I'm passionate about 1) traditional/classic style, 2) high quality goods, and 3) American made products. These are the three key ingredients to all CBD products. Outside of CBD, I'm passionate about spending time with my family and friends.

What are your hobbies?

Aside from designing shirts my favorite hobbies consist of playing golf, fly-fishing, watching college football (Go Gators!), and reading educational fiction. Atop my recommendation list: The Servant by James Hunter.

What's your second favorite place after Concord?

Hmmm, tough question. There's probably a toss up for second place between the North Shore of MA (Massachusetts' hidden gem), or the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, VT (our family's favorite vacation spot). To be completely honest though I'm a big homebody, so the gap between first and second place is quite substantial.

Has starting a business always been a desire of yours?

No, not at all. If you had told me sixteen months ago that I'd be running my own men's clothing line, I would have laughed at you. This is something that is all very new to me, and something I did not plan on or account for. It's been a wonderful experience though, and something I feel very blessed to do.

What's your affiliation with CBD?

I typically joke with people who ask this question by telling them that I'm the CEO... as well as the janitor...and everything in-between. While I do handle most of CBD's operations, the support I've received from friends and family has been incredible! Whether it be taking photographs, modeling the shirts, helping with PR, or even running our blog, those who have lent a hand have done an amazing job!

Who's your hero?

My dad. Those who know me well know how close we are, and how much I think of him. He's my go-to for just about everything: advice, encouragement, support, etc. etc. Fashion isn't something he's into though, so it's been fun teaching him about the industry; it's probably the only thing that I know more than he does.

What's a typical Sunday afternoon for you?

Relaxing. I'm pretty old school so most Sunday's consist of church, a big afternoon lunch, and then football with friends. Although if it's nice out, you may just find me on the links. 

"Made in America"

Why is made in America so important?

He's got the red, white, and blue flyin' high on the farm
'Semper Fi' tattooed on his left arm,
spends a little more at the store for a tag in the back that says U.S.A.
won't buy nothin' that he can't fix,
with WD40 and a Craftsman wrench.
He ain't prejudice he's just, Made in America.

-Toby Keith, “Made in America”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! CBD is passionate about many things but what tops the list is that all our shirts are made in the good old U S of A. More specifically, we’re proud that all our shirts are made right here in Massachusetts. So what’s the big deal and why does this make us so unique?

 

We’re not exactly math people over here but these are some stats that may blow your mind:

• 98% of the clothes that Americans wear are made overseas.
• If consumers bought 1% more “Made in America” products or $64 worth, over 200,000 jobs would be created—that’s 200,000 families!
• For every (1) manufacturing job in the USA (5) more are created!

Who’s really affected by clothes made in America vs. clothes made overseas and why should I care?

·     Look at the man or woman sitting next to you and then look in the mirror. Those are the people it matters to. By buying American-made clothing, you’re supporting your friends, neighbors and even yourself by keeping people employed.

·     You’re ensuring that generations to come will have jobs right here at home and America won’t become dependent on other countries to supply its goods.

·     You’re also refusing to take part in other countries inhumane and unjust labor practices. Many other countries can offer their products for a lot less because they don’t have a minimum wage law. They also don’t have safe work environment laws or other legal forms of protection for their employees.

·     And a little something that gets forgotten when talking about “Made in America” vs. overseas: the earth. Many overseas companies have no environmental standards and therefore can use harsh chemicals and dispose of waste in any way they choose. American companies have stricter protocols they must adhere to and are therefore easier on the environment.  

We at Concord Button Downs encourage you to think about not only the clothing you buy but all your products, and where they come from. Check out this cool map from ABC news to find products “Made in America” in your area.

What products do you try to buy domestically and why is it important to you?

Music Monday: Benjy Davis Project

Welcome back to Music Monday, our online music hall featuring up and coming artists you should be aware of. This week's selection, Benjy Davis Project, a Louisiana based band combining southern-folk with light-rock. Check out Stay with Me off the Lost Souls Like Us album and show your support by liking our post on facebook.

Breast Cancer Awareness: Runway for Recovery

As we conclude our tribute to breast cancer non-profits in the local area, we decided to focus our attention on Runway for Recover, an event CBD had the great fortune of attending. On Thursday evening at the magnificent Westin Hotel in Waltham, MA, Olivia Achtmeyer and her trusted team of event planners put together an outstanding night of celebration. With a grand ballroom full of attendees, individuals directly or indirectly affected by breast cancer "strutted their stuff" down a glass runway while those in the audience cheered on. Standing in the back we were able to witness the great joy of those once hurt by this disease, and the excitement of those standing tall in love and support.

Unlike many non-profits that donate to cancer research, Olivia purposefully allocates funds to "life's little things", which make the day-to-day a tiny bit easier. Whether that consist of an afternoon shopping spree, a plane flight allowing loved ones to connect, or a simple gift such as a bouquet of flowers, the money raised by Runway for Recovery is used to bring a smile to those in need.

Many thanks to Olivia, and Runway for Recovery, for allowing us to be involved with this great event.

To read more, check out this post by ConcordPatch: http://concord.patch.com/articles/runway-for-recovery-6th-annual-benefit-for-breast-cancer-patients-families.