Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Scord.
Matthew, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I like to joke and say that our business was started out of pure jealousy. I remember watching my fiance at the time get excited about shopping for her wedding dress. She planned a whole day for it and invited her close friends and family. She also had a similar experience while shopping for her bridesmaid’s dresses. The common theme was a memorable experience for the Bride to celebrate the occasion of getting married while providing several options to ensure the bridal party looked their best!
Meanwhile, as the groom, I felt left out and underwhelmed with my choices. 1.) I could rent online or from a store but it felt super cookie-cutter almost like going to prom. I also had a bad track record for renting because nothing seemed to fit my frame. 2.) I could purchase an expensive off the rack suit for me and my groomsman but didn’t have very many options to choose from, I would also have to get alterations to ensure the suit fit properly. With both these options, I would end up with a poor experience and a suit I wasn’t happy with.
Where was my magical shopping experience that I so longed for? Where was my Champagne and “Say yes to the Suit “moment”?
The Grotto was originally founded on the belief that the groom and his wedding party deserve something better than a poor-fitting rental or an overpriced, “off the rack” suit. Recounting their own wedding experiences over drinks at a bar in Newport, founders Matt Scord and Nick Meade aligned on a vision that would forever shake-up the industry and change the way men shop for their big day.
In 2014, “Grooms Grotto” was born.
Over the years, The Grotto has become a safe haven for anyone shopping for custom menswear. It didn’t take long to realize that Grooms Grotto customers wanted more than just a perfect custom suit for their wedding day. They wanted perfectly fitted suits and menswear for any occasion.
In 2018, we expanded to “The Grotto” – Custom Suits for Any Occasion.
In 2020, The Grotto Menswear is continuing to expand and now offers custom shoes, custom casual wear such as shorts, chinos, shirts, and accessories. We serve customers both new and returning by dialing them in with custom threads for any occasion. The Grotto is looking to open additional locations soon and expand its online offerings.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have learned that there is no smooth or easy road to success. My business partner and I had zero tailoring experience when we first started the business. In 2014 there were very few stores offering custom suits, let alone at our prices. We felt like we were pioneering a new way for men to shop while also figuring out ops, sales, branding, accounting and the most important part-Tailoring.
We are starting working with several different offshore custom suit manufacturers in Thailand, Turkey, Morocco, Vietnam and China. Each of these manufacturers had different ways to measure different patterns and different ways of doing business. We fumbled through this initial R&D process through pure trial and error. We financed this by offering to make suits for friends and family at $100 and guaranteed the fit or their money back. We had some horrible suits come back when we first started and it was really embarrassing. When you combine poor fitting suits and a showroom that was run out of my garage, it is hard to believe that our business ended up taking off.
However, it was these genuine and humble beginnings that are still very much a part of the culture at the Grotto today. We pride ourselves as being approachable and genuine. We didn’t want to become a stuck up snobby brand that most men could not or did not want to relate to. Challenges continue to arise all the time, whether it is supply chain-related, hiring, customer service, or more recently COVID-19. These are all part of what goes with owning a business. The crazy part of me actually likes these challenges. They are what keep me engaged and push me to constantly improve the company for my employees and customers.
Please tell us about The Grotto Menswear, Inc.
We offer a personalized by appointment only showroom experience where we get to know our customers and then help them design custom menswear for any occasion. We have a low entry point of just $379 for custom wedding suits but we also carry high-end luxury fabrics for other special occasions as well. By the end of our design consultation, we feel like we have just made a new friend. We pride ourselves in maintaining the old-world tailoring approach while continuing to leverage technology to reduce costs and improve quality.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Taking the bus to the beach with my friends as much as possible to go surf. The bus took about 1hr to get from Irvine to Newport Beach. Sometimes, the bus driver would drive right by the bus stop because he saw we had surfboards then we would have to wait another hour until the next bus passed. We didn’t care though, it was worth it. As a kid, I loved surfing and still do to this day. Who would have thought that I would go from wetsuits to custom dress suits?
Pricing:
- Custom Wedding Suits starting at $379!
- If any alterations are needed we take care of those as well free of cost
Contact Info:
- Address: 765 west 17th St. Unit B
Costa, Mesa, CA 92627 - Website: www.thegrottomenswear.com
- Phone: 949-566-1224
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @thegrottomenswear @groomsgrotto (wedding)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/experiencethegrotto/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/grooms-grotto-costa-mesa-3
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