Greenspan's In Southgate

[Rambo66]

Just found out about this place, seems really cool. I really dig that old school 'Cholo' style.

I saw a video piece on the store and one of the workers talked about "old school redliner" jeans. They looked like sorta cheap denim. Anyone know anything about them?

 

[IndigoFanatic]

I don't know anything about those jeans in particular, but usually when people say something about red-line jeans, they're talking about the classic Levi's which were made with a red selvage denim. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, selvage denim has a line like this on the edge...

rather than lots of stitching to hold the edge of the fabric together (selvage is a derivation of "self-edge"). Red-line refers to Levi's, because they had denim with a red thread in the edge, while Lee used blue, and I believe Wrangler used yellow. Denim made this way is manufactured on shuttle-looms, which produce a better product than the projectile looms used to make denim faster and cheaper today. There are lots of companies that still make jeans this way (including Levi's, though only for their LVC line).

If this is completely off topic from what you're asking, I appologize, but if it's what you're interested in, then I could go on...

 

[resortes805]

I buy all my winos at greenspans. They also carry vintage style undershirts like this:

I checked their website and these jeans are mentioned in their catalog, but I have yet to see them in person.

 

[Doug C]

How about a link, I'd be interested in checking it out..

Doug C

 

[Guttersnipe]

They have a website

http://www.greenspans.com

 

[Rambo66]

I get my winos at K-Mart, in the summer they're almost always $5.00.

 

[Greenspan's]

We still have them!

Greenspan's still has winos, and those 30's style undershirts, and red liners, (not the Levi ones,) but the streets of L.A. cheap rigid denim utility pants. As well as hundreds of other items people used to find everywhere. That is our business to find what our customers like, whether it's 40's, 50's, 60's, dead stock, or reproductions, little size or big size, swing, rockabilly, or OG hood, it is still all in one place, with THE best assortment of unused Pendleton classic flannels around. We have enough clothes to fill up a thousand boutiques, all in one location America's last original clothing store. No place like us...anymore. Some of our items are online at www.greenspans.com. There's over almost a thousand pictures of what we have on our myspace at www.myspace.com/greenspans, and we invite specific questions about if we have this or that deadstock item, (please be specific) at stylinghq@aol.com Greenspan's...headquarters of the sharpest styles. family owned and operated, since 1928.

 

[Vic]

I can vouch for Greenspan's...knowledgeable, good customer service, and very passionate about what they do!

 

[Tango Yankee]

Greenspan's...headquarters of the sharpest styles. family owned and operated, since 1928.

Welcome to the Lounge, Greenspan's!

You are located in my home town. Growing up we lived on San Vincente, then moved to Washington Avenue, less than a block from the park. My father lived on Washington until he died, not quite two years ago.

Greenspan's was the place to go to get your letterman's jacket. Do you still place an ad in the South Gate High School yearbook? Does the yearbook still do ads, I wonder? I worked in Photo Production and took photographs for the yearbook advertisements. I graduated in 1977, so it's been a while.

So far as I know, no one I knew growing up still lives in South Gate. Most of the people I grew up with have scattered, quite a few (including myself) living in different states.

Pretty amazing to see a business that was in town when I was growing up still there. I'll have to stop by the next time I'm out there visiting my brother. You've obviously done a great job in adapting to the changing times, styles, and clientele over the years. Congratulations! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Regards,
Tom

fftopic:
P.S. If you haven't read it and are interested in the history of South Gate and how it was founded and grew, check out My Blue Heaven: Life and Politics in the Working-Class Suburbs of Los Angeles, 1920-1965 (Historical Studies of Urban America) by Becky M. Nicolaides. Very interesting reading. It debunked a couple of urban myths I grew up with and some other things I sometimes wondered about made sense after reading it.

P.P.S. Rambo66, please note that the town is South Gate, not Southgate. It's the only town I've come across that does break it down into two words rather than the more common Southgate so it does get misspelled quite often. :eusa_doh:

 

[Talbot]

I get my winos at K-Mart, in the summer they're almost always $5.00.

OK, showing my backwardness here, what's a wino - as an item of apparell that is.

I'm so unhip its a wonder my backside doesn't fall off...

 

[Tango Yankee]

OK, showing my backwardness here, what's a wino - as an item of apparell that is.

I'm so unhip its a wonder my backside doesn't fall off...

I think that it's another term for an A-shirt, AKA "wife-beaters". Sleeveless undershirts.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Vic]

I think that it's another term for an A-shirt, AKA "wife-beaters". Sleeveless undershirts.

Cheers,
Tom

No, winos are shoes.

 

[Tango Yankee]

No, winos are shoes.

OK, I'd have never have guessed that one! Did a search and found a few photos. They kind of remind me of Vans, but are a type or style of shoe and not a brand so far as I can tell.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Talbot]

No, winos are shoes.

Pics???

 

[flat-top]

 

[Talbot]

Thanks for clearing it up for me.

 

[John in Covina]

For locals and visitors, I looked at the website but could not find the brick & mortor store location listed so I checked with some search engine work:


3405 Tweedy Blvd
South Gate, CA 90280

 

[Greenspan's]

I apologize that our brick and motor location was not on our website, (We are updating the website) We also have hundreds of now hard to find classic styles in our store. While our website at http://www.greenspans.com only goes to our online store, our myspace can fill in the blanks about our unique store: http://www.myspace.com/greenspans We have been in business since 1928, and in our present location, since 1939. We carry thousands of dead stock items. and authentically reproduce wool car club coats in 3 styles, two tone leather wing tip, and cap toe shoes, straw hats, denim utility pants, and more, as well as having a world's best selection of, unused, out of production plaid Pendleton wool flannel board shirts for men. And a wide selection on the Zig Zag winos shoes pictured here on this page. Here is a picture of our brick and motor building:

This is what our store looked like over 50 years ago. This picture is from the South Gate High School Yearbook, from 1958:

Some advice to first time customers: "Please ask for assistance", in most store it is easy to see all they offer in 30 seconds. Our stock is so extensive t is impossible to do that in 30 minutes. So, if there is something specific you would like to see, please ask one of us...We know where it is.