Alfredo Diaz has been within the menswear business long enough that he can guess a customer's hat size or waist measurement without breaking out the tape measure. But it's not that keen eye that's kept Diaz Menswear running in downtown San Jose for 39 years—it's the way in which he connects with customers.
And he says that's what he'll miss most when he closes his shop at the tip of July to enjoy a well-earned retirement. “Without them, we wouldn't be in business,” said Diaz, 67. “I'll be sad, but I'll be a little excited, too.”
He and his wife, Maria Velazquez, began planning today greater than five years ago after they signed their last lease extension. That lease expired at the tip of May, but Diaz asked for 2 extra months so he could host a retirement sale. As word spread, customers flocked in, wondering where they might buy their hats and jeans or simply discuss what was happening downtown.
“I think it's time for us to take a break,” said Diaz, who only recently began closing on Sundays. “The dedication, the time and the effort we put in every day is what has kept us alive.”
Diaz, a Mexican immigrant, began his profession within the business in 1977 at Gene's Menswear on South First Street downtown. When that store closed in December 1984, Diaz opened his own shop on East San Fernando Street the next February. He moved to South Second Street before opening his current store within the Saratoga Capital constructing in August 1998.
His business survived the turmoil brought on by the development of sunshine rail tracks downtown within the mid-'80s, the dot-com bust, the Great Recession and COVID. His daughter Brianna attributes the shop's longevity partially to its merchandise, resembling stylish hats, Levi's jeans and guayabera and Pendleton shirts.
“It's such an important part of this store that people can come here and find classic things that are always in style, as opposed to online shopping or in stores where everything is trendy,” said his daughter Brianna Velazquez. “With this store, he always knew what his business was, what his image was. I think that helped him be a part of the community.”
The only time Diaz Menswear followed an actual trend was within the early '90s, when the corporate carried MC Hammer-style parachute pants. “But I sold them,” Diaz said.
But Maria Velazquez says the actual secret is how her husband treats customers. One customer, whose adult son lives on the streets, left money with Diaz, knowing he would give it to her son when he returned. His customers include employees of San Jose City Hall and students at San Jose State University.
He also cashed checks and transferred money for purchasers, making the corporate a systemically vital business that was allowed to stay open throughout the COVID pandemic.
“That kept us alive because it brought us all these customers who then bought clothes,” said Maria Velazquez. His wife, daughters Brianna Velazquez and Alexandra Velazquez and son Gabriel Velazquez all grew up in the shop and have helped the business, whether it was with accounting, selling clothes or constructing social media.
It hasn't all been plain sailing, though. Brick-and-mortar retail has shrunk dramatically since Diaz began selling men's clothing greater than 4 many years ago, due to online retailers like Amazon, and Diaz has watched many other retailers exit of business. But he says he has a gentle stream of repeat customers who still appreciate with the ability to touch fabric or see how a hat sits on their head.
“Customers who came 30 years ago to buy their hats and Pendletons are now bringing their sons and buying the same things they did when they were younger,” Diaz said.
Diaz has also had a whole lot of celebrities in his shop over time, including the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown (who Diaz admits he didn't recognize at first). The San Jose Improv has proven to be a surprising source of consumers. Comedians like Paul Rodriguez stop by at any time when they're on the town. Bill Burr — known for shopping at small shops while on tour — bought a porkpie hat from Diaz a couple of weeks ago when he was on the town for a two-night gig on the San Jose Civic.
Diaz is a veteran of downtown's ups and downs and can happily defend it, to some extent. He says the challenges aren't much different from those faced by other cities, and downtown San Jose has weathered a few of them higher than other cities due to the efforts of City Hall and groups just like the San Jose Downtown Association and the Groundwerx team, which helps remove graffiti and trash.
“I could have moved the store to Hayward or San Francisco, but I would have the same problems there,” he said. “San Jose is making great progress.”
However, he believes more could be done to handle high rents for small businesses and has suggested that the town could help subsidize rents or offer incentives, resembling property tax abatements, to landlords to lower rents.
“If we bring ten more businesses here like this, more people will come downtown,” he said, noting wryly that the town might even get a bit more revenue from parking tickets.
Diaz says he and his family will take a while to travel, but he also plans to sell a few of the remaining merchandise online after the shop closes on July 31, primarily to remain in contact along with his customers and help them transition into retirement.
“I may be his oldest child, but this is his first baby,” his daughter Brianna said of the shop. “He built this from the ground up.”
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