It’s a typical December evening at Byron & Barclay. Christmas music emanates from the overhead speakers, the lighting a welcoming glow as the front door dings. Owners Jessica and Jeremy Woods walk in with their bulldog, Caliber. Caliber is one of three bulldogs that the Woods affectionally call their kids.
Byron & Barclay started as a dream early on in the relationship for Jeremy and Jessica. The timing? Maybe one day. The name? That was easy.
“One night in conversation it just came about. We didn’t know if it would stick, but it’s such a classic name that people have loved,” Jessica said. “Byron is his grandfather and Jerome Barclay is my grandfather.”
Jessica has always worked in retail, but the inspiration to open a men’s clothing store came from Jeremy.
“The idea came about because he didn’t have anywhere to shop in town when he was looking for something to wear to a particular event or even just daily wear,” Jessica said. “It was never exactly what he was looking for, so he would have to order online. That’s what sparked us to open a men’s store.”
The ambiance in Byron & Barclay is unlike any other in Owensboro.
“We’re very proud of the unique image that we’ve been able to create,” Jessica said. “Everything that we do is handled here. Customers know they’re shopping from a small store. They come back because they know they’re supporting local and they like our style and our brand.”
The Woods purchased the space on 2nd Street in 2016 after stumbling upon it on Jeremy’s birthday and worked to fully renovate the space themselves. A true labor of love.
“The brick wasn’t exposed, so we were in here with a hammer drill taking the concrete off,” Jessica said. “We would come in here every night after our day jobs and work until two, sometimes four o’clock in the morning.”
After three months revamping the space, Byron & Barclay had its grand opening in May 2016, and the couple hasn’t looked back since.
“The store is never closed for us. We brainstorm a lot and it’s integrated into every part of our lives,” Jeremy said.
The Woods value the high quality of brands that they carry. Raleigh Denim, a Woods favorite and store best-seller, is a handmade jean company based out of Raleigh, North Carolina and also owned by a young couple. Each pair is handmade on vintage sewing machines and custom hemmed.
“We want the product we put out to be an amazing quality. We try to pull in unique brands,” said Jessica. “We’re very particular about what we add in and the items that we choose to carry.”
Beyond the quality goods, Jeremy says it’s the relationships that keep customers coming back.
“Jessica has an incredible memory. She can remember customer’s faces and sizes who were in a year ago. It’s a priority for us to make each customer feel like they had a great experience from start to finish.”
Editor’s Note — written by Leslie Neeley
