South Main clothier's sideline Pink Pig label a smokin' success in May

Photo by Mark Weber // Buy this photo

Shelton Clothiers owner Tom Shelton came up with a playful idea for a clothing line based on Memphis' love affair with barbecue, and thus was born his logo-driven Pink Pig Apparel, sold from Shelton's store on South Main.

Four years ago, Thomas Shelton opened his eponymous clothing store Downtown with the idea of providing top-quality, name-brand clothing for well-dressed gentlemen.

Photo by Mark Weber

Shelton Clothiers owner Tom Shelton came up with a playful idea for a clothing line based on Memphis' love affair with barbecue, and thus was born his logo-driven Pink Pig Apparel, sold from Shelton's store on South Main.

That's still the case at Shelton Clothiers at 147 S. Main, but these days there's also a more playful and decidedly local flavor to the upscale shop, thanks to an original line of logo-bearing clothing.

Pink Pig Apparel, developed by Shelton, is available in a variety of styles, colors and sizes.

And with thousands of pork lovers in town for the annual Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the line is proving more popular than ever.

"We've done pretty well with it, but during May the demand really steps up," Shelton said. "I see our logos all over the place."

There are polo shirts and T-shirts, button-downs and baseball caps. There's even a line of Pink Pig onesies for discerning infants. And true to the brand's name, all items bear a distinctive porcine logo.

"I talked to a lot of people to get feedback about coming up with a fun line of clothing that would be distinctly Memphis," Shelton said. "Everybody I talked to mentioned how Memphis is famous for its barbecue, so I knew that had to be it."

Prices range from about $15 for a T-shirt to about $50 for an all-cotton polo. During May, all items in the store, including Pink Pig Apparel, are 20 percent off.

Shelton outfitted several teams at this year's barbecue contest and his shop is an official sponsor of Hog Wild Competition. The three dozen or so members of that team will all be sporting Pink Pig shirts during today's judging.

"I've been a regular at the shop because of the quality clothing they sell and the pig is perfect for us," said Johnny Kalb of Hog Wild. "We've got shirts and caps with the logo and our name on them. Everybody wants to know where we got them."

That's great news for Shelton, who introduced the line a couple of years ago. Unsure what the demand for the little piggies might be, he initially ordered only 40 pieces bearing the logo.

In less than a week, more than half the line had sold.

Since then, Shelton has expanded his offerings and typically stocks shirts in eight colors for men and six colors for women in his 1,500-square-foot store.

Navy is the best-seller for the fellas, while it's a tossup between pink and aqua for the ladies.

The line's following is growing, generated mostly by word-of-mouth advertising, Shelton said. But there has also been an upswing lately in online sales and he's getting plenty of notice from tourists because of space he operates inside the gift shop at the Westin on Beale.

That's a plus for the clothing store and it's also a boost for local merchants, one loyal customer said.

"I've known Tom since before his shop opened and I can't think of anyone more dedicated to the growth and success of Downtown," said Greg Hnedak, co-founding partner of Hnedak Bobo Group. "It's great to see more and more people wearing these logos and knowing that they came from this shop in Downtown Memphis."

Shelton Clothiers

Owners: Thomas and Christine Shelton

Founded: 2005

Address: 147 S. Main

Shop hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Phone: 522-9995

On the Web: sheltonclothiers.com; pinkpigapparel.com

© 2009 Go Memphis. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.