Get to Know: Blankenship Dry Goods

I love stuff like this.  In searching the Interwebs, you come across cool companies like Blankenship Dry Goods who are doing great things.  Entrepreneurial spirit, American made, and giving back to those that gave so much to us.

Blankenship Dry Goods is a new kid on the block, making extremely comfortable shorts.  The shorts come in a variety of colors and fabrics, and feature some nice touches.  The inside pockets are actually American flag designs, and the back buttons are leather wrapped – like what you see on old-school blazers.  The solid fabrics are extremely soft cotton – they have a really nice brushed feel.  The seersucker is serious business.  Very lightweight, but a substantial ‘sucker’.  They show some mean texture.  What’s even cooler than all of this, is that a portion of their sales goes to support Wounded Warriors.  Well done.

“Georgia Peach” on the left, and “Rampart” seersucker on the right:

What’s also nice: a very acceptable 7″(ish) inseam (these shorts are size 34).  Red Clay Soul approved.

We spoke with the founder of BDG, Tory Lenzo, about his company and his experiences:

What is the history of Blankenship Dry Goods? Blankenship Dry Goods launched two years ago rooted in the northeast, specifically New York City. Utilizing the resources of NYC’s fashion district allowed the company to gain traction and design innovative products.

What is special about your shorts?  Much attention goes into the design and creation of every pair of Freedom Shorts. The accents, such as the pocket designs, leather buttons, and embroidery, make our shorts unique. I also think the inspirations for our Goods are great as they are drawn from American history, tradition, and natural beauty.

What type of guy wears BDG shorts? A Blankenship Dry Goods Patron loves his country and is a patriot. Those that join the Blankenship Family take pride in the fact that their garb was created in America.

What made you want to start the company?  A desire to create something from scratch and understand how to operate a business were certainly driving factors. Giving back to our nation’s veterans that have allowed Americans like myself to have freedoms and opportunities, however, is the ultimate goals of Blankenship Dry Goods. The upcoming launch of the Blankenship Dry Goods Hero Booth in NYC will further assist in realizing this objective.

What is your history?  I am from New York City and currently am studying at finance and marketing at NYU. The company is based out of New York City where every Good is designed and created.

What do you like to do outside of running BDG?  Along with running Blankenship Dry Goods and engaging in other entrepreneurial pursuits, I spend a lot of my free time playing and watching sports. My favorite sports to play are squash, basketball, and golf, and I am a huge New York sports fan (Yankees, Giants, Rangers, Knicks). I also rarely turn down a Lobster dinner or West Coast Oysters.

What has been the best part about running BDG so far?  Doing this originally as a teenager really changes your perspective on how the world works. Lessons are learned first hand and really stick. You gain a new understanding of responsibility, patience, and human interaction. Every day is a test that causes maturity usually in unforeseen ways. I am happy to say the best part of running the company is learning every day from successes and more importantly mistakes. I encourage all people, young and old, to create and follow through with their own entrepreneurial pursuits. Even though many small businesses go under, lessons learned in the process are invaluable. That is why the company is so important to me and why I treat it with great care.

What do you want your customers that buy your shorts to know about your company? Many others in the industry outsource to cut costs which leads to a steep decline in product quality and customization. Although some aspects of production are most expensive for us, we know that, with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible in our great nation. Ultimately we want our customers to know that Blankenship Dry Goods will always be proudly Made in America.

What’s on your playlist?

Steve Miller Band: “The Joker”
Paul Simon: “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”
King Harvest: “Dancin’ in the Moonlight”
Mungo Jerry: “Summertime”
Texas Tornados: “A Little Bit is Better Than Nada”
Drake: “Club Paradise”

Interested?  Tory and the team have put together a little incentive for Red Clay Soul readers: Free shipping on the first ten orders.  Use the code RCS quick…