In times of quarantine, when businesses large and small have come to a standstill nationwide, local entrepreneurs are opening up brand new businesses on Cherokee Street.
Rachel Polly, Ramon Gibbs and Christopher Loss are three of those creative entrepreneurs, whose clothing store, Profield Reserve, opened to the public for the first time this May at 2309 Cherokee.
To introduce our new neighbors, we asked them a few questions to get to know them and their brand.
Q: How did Profield Reserve come to be?
A: For the three of us, we are entrepreneurs at heart. Sharing some common interests such as fashion, lifestyle goods and a drive to create a new business in this community was at the core of building Profield Reserve. We decided to sit down one morning and have a conversation about what we thought would be a great asset to the street while utilizing our skills. We formed a partnership right away and everything just came together very quickly and easily, as if we had worked on this plan for years. From that one conversation, Profield Reserve was born.
Q: What are your backgrounds? What did you do before opening the store?
A: Before the store we all had careers that we are still very much involved in today. Ramon Gibbs is a barber who owns and operates Clippers and Shears just a couple doors down from us. He has been an asset to Cherokee Street for years and provides education and pop up events to other barber and cosmetology industry professionals as well as working behind the chair in his barbershop most days of the week. Christopher Loss has been in the retail industry for over 20 years managing major shoe retailers and eventually creating his own clothing label that is sold online all over the world. He still does the operations for that company while building up our in-house label for Profield. Rachel Polly is a cosmetologist and esthetician, owning and operating a salon here in St. Louis as well as one in Springfield, Mo and spends time educating other stylists through mentorship and goal oriented business growth meetings. She has a background in retail as well.
Q: What clothing style does Profield Reserve offer? What sets you apart?
A: Profield Reserve offers our own Profield branded clothing line. It has a vintage-inspired sportswear vibe with a clean aesthetic. Comfort was an important factor in our choices, while still maintaining a simplistic designs. We use high quality materials and offer clothing at a price that can work for every customer. Some of the appeal that comes from Profield Reserve is that we create small batches, allowing everyone who shops with us to have new options available to them each time they pop in the store.
Q: Can you share the meaning behind the name “Profield Reserve”?
Profield Reserve
Profield - A professional in your Field of Study or Field of Play
Reserve - A supply or inventory/stock of a commodity not needed for immediate use but available if required.
We wanted to come up with something classic that captured the aesthetic and lifestyle portrayed in the wears and goods we carry. We also wanted a name that we could continue to build the brand under and expand our product selection over time.
Q: Why did you choose Cherokee Street to open your store?
A: Cherokee Street is a very diverse area of St. Louis with so much to offer. As a St. Louis native, Ramon was drawn to the street early on when many of the buildings were still vacant and there was quite a bit of growth just beginning to emerge into what it is today. With his barbershop being so close it was a given that this would be ideal for us. For Chris and Rachel, moving to St. Louis 7 years ago, Cherokee Street was one of the first places we visited. Chris actually met Ramon at a post office up Jefferson while dropping off work packages and became a client of Ramon’s. You could say Cherokee Street has played a significant role in all of our lives, from dining to entertainment, to work. It reels you in and has character. We wanted to be a part of that.
Check out Profield Reserve in store at 2309 Cherokee, Wednesday - Saturday 10 AM - 6PM and online at profieldreserve.com.
Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Q&A by Laura Smith
