Meet J.T. Centonze of Off Kilter Kilts in Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to J.T. Centonze.

J.T., can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Off Kilter Kilts started as a dinner out with my buddy Jon. I’d just been let go from a ten-year career in textbooks, and the job market wasn’t so hot. I’d realized fairly quickly that if I wanted to avoid returning to retail management, I’d need to go into business for myself. I’d been wearing kilts regularly for about 12 years at this point, and the idea of opening a kilt store had been rolling around in my head. This was in May of 2015. I met up with Jon for his birthday and mentioned that I was considering opening the store. We chatted about the logistics and then moved onto other matters.

Early the next morning, I got a call from Jon. He’d dreamt about the store, and now I needed to make it happen. Not being one to rely too heavily on dreams to determine major life choices, I started making some calls to see how feasible a store would be. I’ve got a decade of experience in store management, and an MBA, but this was still something I needed to have all my ducks in a row for. I contacted a number of major brands, and their feedback was encouraging. OKK was starting to take shape.

Where to put the store? Pasadena was an obvious choice. I’d commuted through the city for 10 years, and it was a destination for me on a date night or just a night out. There is a great balance of unique shops in Old Town too. The other contenders were Santa Monica and Long Beach, but having just escaped a 110-mile commute, I didn’t fancy starting another one, and we’d recently moved into the area. Thankfully, it never became an issue, my fiancée, Beth Ann, and I found a perfect storefront on our first trip out. A little off the beaten path, but in our price range and sufficient for our needs. By the end of June, I’d signed the lease.

The store opened on Labor Day weekend of 2015, a little more than three months after we’d started working on it. We are now the only multi-brand retailer of modern kilts that we know of in the US.

Has it been a smooth road?
The first two years of the business have been mostly positive. Our first winter was a bit slow, but we weathered it alright. The second winter, early 2017, was less kind. Kilts are a warm-weather garment, and election years are always difficult for retail. Other than that, our challenges are in reaching our customers and developing new kilters – even the majority of my family refuse to try one on.

It is worth noting that the various sources of red tape – the city, the county, the state – have all been truly amazing. One of my biggest worries was that we’d get bogged down, but everything has been relatively simple.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Off Kilter Kilts started because I got tired of having to order my kilts online. Kilts are not inexpensive, and trying to find the right one with being able to touch it and try it on can be a difficult process. We offer a location (in the southwest, where kilts are relevant and popular) where you can come and try on multiple kilts from many of the top brands in the industry. We also take our kilts on the road up and down the state of California (and Arizona) so you can catch us even if you don’t live in the LA area.

We also make a point to sell kilts to everyone, and we don’t use sales tactics that include challenging your masculinity. Kilts are a universal garment, and are, in my humble opinion, far superior to pants.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I love Pasadena. It’s why I chose to move here, and why I opened my business here. The city is a great destination, and is simultaneously central to the region without being trapped behind hours of traffic. The diversity of the greater area assures that we can reach many different demographics, which is great because kilters come from all walks of life.

Sure, it’s a little more expensive in some parts of town, but the concentration of customers has made up for it so far.

Pricing:

• Our kilts start around $100 and go up to about $600

Contact Info:

• Address: 2610 E. Colorado Blvd.
• Website: www.offkilterkilts.com
• Phone: 626-817-9999
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/offkilterkilts
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/offkilterkilts
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/offkilterkilts
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/off-kilter-kilts-pasadena

Image Credit:
Richard Rasner (team photo)

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