Jason Hammerberg grew up in a typical Duluth family, the youngest son of an engineer dad and nurse mom — who loved to shop.
That, he says, is what got him.
"I always knew I wanted to go into apparel," he said. "I blame it on my mom and sister. They took me shopping."
He got his first job in Ed Barbo's Columbia Clothing Co. in downtown Duluth. ("It's a third-generation store. And it's still there," said Hammerberg.) He studied retail and design, then worked his way up the ranks at Dayton's and, later, a small local boutique.
Now he's the proud owner of three almost-eponymous stores, Hammer Made, that sell men's shirts and accessories.
We talked to Hammerberg about the state of guy style in Minnesota, rock stars in gingham, the future of neckties and the purpose of pocket squares.
Q: Do you think most Minnesotan men are, well, slobs?
A: Some people don't know how to do casual, especially business casual. They throw on a T-shirt and pair of baggy jeans and call it good. But we're turning a corner on guys caring what they look like.
