By fusing his love affair with the eclectic vibe of Gay Street and his passion for American history, Branden Givand has established a brand and a business that is reminiscent of his own personal style.
Built up in a corner of Café Brioso’s artisan coffee shop, Givand’s full-fledged brand – Flying Gent Mercantile — is a convenient shopping location for anyone looking for men’s gifts, men looking to broaden their options when dressing themselves, and sometimes, a pleasant surprise for third-wave coffee lovers popping into Café Brioso for their caffeine fix.
Givand, founder and curator of the Flying Gent Mercantile, stresses that the classic style upon which his products are selected attracts every kind of people, from teenagers who are still in high school to men in their 80s.
“Looking good looks good no matter what age you are,” Givand said.
With a line of products ranging from razors to umbrellas to shirts, The Flying Gent offers to its shoppers items that go into curating the classic man. Although, rest assured, the Flying Gent doesn’t identify itself as a lifestyle brand. Givand’s no-frills personality is apparent in the way in which products are selected for sale as well.
“I think there’s something to be said when you see somebody and you compliment someone because of how nice the cut of their suit is, not that they’re wearing 50 things all at once,” Givand said. “My brand is meant for guys to be able to pick up a couple of things off the floor, wear, and look like a million bucks. You know, a lot of times I just don’t want to put a lot of or money into looking good.”
The Flying Gent founder describes his style to be simple, versatile and minimalistic, insisting that he is not fashionable. To complement the brand’s classic vibe, Givand hosts an offering of unique products from across the country that he believes to be in sync with his style.
“I choose items for my brand, and I keep pushing my own personal style, but there is a rule of thumb,” Givand says. “If I don’t know the story behind a brand, if I cant properly articulate why it’s in my store, then I won’t have it.”
In the last few years, Givand’s entrepreneurial inclinations have grown from when he first started his marketing firm, Buckeye Direct Marketing, to launching SWAGG Revolution Apparel where he sells Ohio-inspired t-shirts that tastefully profess Buckeye pride. In March 2013, Givand made his permanent mark as Flying Gent Mercantile when he first set up his customized stall in Café Brioso.
The name of the brand is greatly influenced by the Wright brothers and the evolution of aviation. Givand admires the passion of the brothers, the way in which the turn-of-the-century men conducted themselves socially, and the commonality of a simple, crisp blazer. The Flying Gent bridges the gap between the modern man and the 20th century man, encouraging him to believe in the process and the product the way it used to be.
“The brand is meant to help men find a few key pieces that they can rely on to look good, feel good, and complement their lifestyle and personality,” he said.
To fully capture the Flying Gent in its downtown habitat, Givand likes to ascribe a persona to the brand.
“The Flying Gent embodies the spirit of Downtown, the against-all-odds attitude,” he explained. “People will look at my brand and they look at Downtown and they see a reflection of each other. It’s two underdog brands trying to build each other up.”
For more information, visit www.flyinggent.com.
All photos by Nen Lin Soo.