Courtesy of Blaine McGowan
Senior marketing major Blaine McGowan waits for the grand opening of his new store The Garage on Friday, Nov. 21. McGowan formulated the idea in a management class because he wanted to put a different spin in purchasing clothes and tailoring more to customers. 

College students endure the seemingly endless bombardment of exams, projects and lectures with hopes that they will be able to draw upon these lessons as they navigate their post-graduation careers. Senior marketing major Blaine McGowan did not wait until graduation to take advantage of the skills gained from his class projects.

“It was a management class,” said McGowan. “We had to create a business. I asked my group if I could come up with the idea to open a store. At the time I was a sophomore, and I wanted to open up a store in Hammond because I lived out here and there was nowhere for me to buy clothes that I liked.”

After extensive networking, McGowan turned his class project into reality. Business partners assisted McGowan financially and provided a location in Baton Rouge. McGowan’s retail store, The Garage, sells car and motorcycle-themed clothing for men. Though the store is already serving customers, its grand opening is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21. 

“We specialize in high-end casual wear, like denim, T-shirts and button-downs,” said McGowan. “The unique factor is we’re only open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The rest of the days are by appointment only, so people get the opportunity to shop on their own time. They can call any time. We make deliveries for clients who have busy schedules or work late. We go to their offices and bring a line of stuff that they’re interested in.” 

McGowan’s business plan was designed to make clothes-shopping more enjoyable for men. By utilizing appointment and delivery services, customers can avoid the large crowds and time expense typically associated with mall shopping. Regular customers have a database of their favored sizes, colors and styles with the store. Should they choose to have clothing delivered to their home or office, personal shoppers at The Garage consult the database and choose a line of clothing suiting the client’s taste. Even customers who choose to shop in-store will face a different experience from that of mall stores. 

“We try to stay away from [clothing] racks and typical things like that,” said McGowan. “We have a contract with Abita Beer, so that you get a beer when you come if you want. It’s a very relaxed place. It’s not so much that you’re shopping, but there is merchandise there. We do all of the shopping ourselves, so they don’t actually have to even touch anything if they don’t want to.”

McGowan cites the business department, particularly marketing professor Dr. Michael Budden, for instilling the knowledge, skills and opportunities necessary to make this endeavor possible. 

“I’ve had Dr. Budden multiple times, and he’s been a huge help in the classroom and out of the classroom,” said McGowan. “Certain faculty [members] help you outside of class if you talk to them and let them know what you’re interested in. I would say mostly retail experience, advertising classes and marketing classes were all a big help.”

As McGowan prepares to graduate this December with a fully operating business under his belt, he has a few words of wisdom for fellow students. 

“A lot of people in school feel like they have to wait to do what they want to do because school is holding them back,” said McGowan. “Really, it’s kind of the opposite. This is the best time to do stuff because you have all these resources right here. My biggest advice would be to utilize the resources here, such as the faculty, the labs, anything Southeastern has and just go for it.” 

McGowan intends to create a franchise and establish another store in Hammond within a year. For more information on The Garage, visit thegarage225.com.