Even when an entrepreneur hyper-obsesses over the details, Michael Jerwick learned, opportunity isn’t always tailor-fit to the most conveniently designed timing. The Slabotsky’s owner just transplanted his century-spanning family business to River Market — a mere week before launching a brand new apparel side project.
Ties on display at Slabotsky’s Fine Menswear & Tailoring in the River Market; photo by Joyce Smith
Two of the biggest moves of his career, Jerwick had prudently planned the changes to be spread out over a few months. But construction delays on his new shop had him relocating Slabotsky’s Fine Menswear & Tailoring from Grand Boulevard to 306 Delaware St. in early July instead of April, almost immediately followed by the debut of his GH Monday golf-inspired clothing line.
“Between moving my store and launching my apparel brand this last month has been absolutely insane,” he said. “Wild, wild, wild last few months. Early mornings and late nights but we are getting through.”
GH Monday offers a dozen different polo styles from vintage to contemporary, along with hats and duffle bags. It will soon add hoodies, pants, shorts, and other items. A women’s line is planned for 2026 or 2027.
Click here to explore GH Monday.
The brand builds on the timeless styles sold at Slabotsky’s — as well as wisdom Jerwick is quickly picking up after unexpectedly taking over the shop less than a year ago. His father, owner Bruce Jerwick, passed away in September at 62 from a heart attack, leaving the storied business to his son.
“No one had a relationship with their father like I did with my dad. It was a bond you can’t even put words behind,” Michael said. “The reinvigoration of life that I felt being with him every single day and starting this. We were so excited to work together full time. He taught me to fit suits days before he died.”
The KC Streetcar rolls past Slabotsky’s Fine Menswear & Tailoring in the River Market; photo by Joyce Smith
Taking their own swing
GH Monday has been a passion project for Michael and his cousin, Brad Jerwick, since late 2022.
A golf polo from GH Monday; photo by Joyce Smith
“I wanted to make my own clothing, to build a brand, to do something in golf,” Michael said. “Maybe it is because I suck so bad at golf I wanted to feel like I was contributing something.”
Brad picked up the sport through his son, Jack, now 17, who has been “obsessed” with the game for several years, he said
“What I wear to work, what I wear to golf, is what I wear to dinner. That’s where the world is going,” Brad said. “You can transition to different parts of your day wearing the same thing.”
But in starting a clothing line the cousins had to learn not only how clothes are made but how to build a brand.
They went to fabric trade shows in Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas and New York, and then visited fabric houses and textile mills. Now they source much of their fabric from companies in California and Idaho, as well as Peru.
Through Slabotsky’s, Michael has connections with manufacturers worldwide, but they chose to work with companies in South Korea and Vietnam.
With his three young children — ages 3 , 5 and 6 — in bed, he would head to the basement office in his Leawood home to sketch designs.
The cousins took inspiration from different golf brands, then put their own spin on it. They considered some brands too baggy, with super long sleeves. So they contracted with a London technical design firm to dial in the fit and silhouette of their pieces.
Some delays were caused by what Michael calls “paralysis by analysis.”
“Being so hyper, hyper, hyper focused,” he said. “Forty-five minutes talking about the color of a button, or the color of the banner on the website. Not getting in our own way. That is why it has taken us three years.”
But they knew their early buyers would be friends and family and they wanted the line to be perfect for them.
“I think our biggest problem was we didn’t have a true roadmap,” Brad said. “So many different ideas. But we knew we needed to focus on the brand itself and what would make it so special: fabric and fit.”
They won’t share the story behind the name, “it’s a secret,” Michael said. But they will play off of it in advertising. For example, people keep asking who GH is. But is it a who or a what?
The rose and shield logo is based on what they love about golf, its beauty and its strength.
Market research companies put the global golf apparel and shoes market at more than $9 billion in 2024, and expect it to grow to more than $13 billion by 2032, spurring demand for fashionable products that also perform.
Inside Slabotsky’s Fine Menswear & Tailoring at 306 Delaware St. in the River Market; photo by Joyce Smith
Relocating a legacy to build something new
Slabotsky’s Fine Menswear & Tailoring had been a mainstay at 1118 Grand Blvd. for decades.
Founder Abe Slabotsky was advertising a shop to clean and repair clothing in 1908. He later expanded, selling men’s clothing with a partner. In 1935, the shop relocated to the third floor of a Grand office building bursting with lawyers.
It became Slabotsky & Sons when Abe’s son, Gordon Slabotsky, joined in. Every morning he would call a few clients to tell them about new merchandise, a version of today’s email blasts.
“Custom-made suits for lawyers, bankers. Everyone was wearing suits,” Michael said.
But they faced tough competition with dozens of men’s shops within blocks, according to city directories. They had no sign, and no window displays showcasing their fashions on the street-level. But Gordan once said he made enough to put his children through college.
Snapshots showing the history of Slabotsky’s Fine Menswear & Tailoring in Kansas City; photo by Joyce Smith
Michael’s family were partners in the popular JP Todd’s clothing stores for decades with as many as 13 locations in its heyday, he said. But when casual Friday spilled over to other days of the week, sales for men’s suits plunged.
The Jerwicks closed their last store in 1996, and Michael’s father, Bruce Jerwick, went to work for Slabotsky’s. It soon relocated to the coveted first floor of the office building, and Bruce became the owner.
“He never took a sick day, never went on vacation. He was at the store six days a week,” Michael said. “It’s a brick-and-mortar, mom-and-pop, old school tailoring shop and clothing store.”
A decade ago, Slabotsky’s started focusing on the wedding business. That strategy was so successful, this year they will do more than 800 wedding groups.
“No rental, but you pay the same price to buy with us as rent,” Michael said. “It has been a very organic growth. We haven’t spent one dime on advertising. The tailoring is all done in-house, we don’t farm anything out. The suits are our marketing.”
One customer has been a groomsman 11 times, buying all his wedding suits at Slabotsky’s.
Much of the other 30 percent of its business is walk-in customers for polo shirts, pants, ties and dress shirts.
Michael worked at the shop from age 10 through college. Then he spent nearly a dozen years at a large freight brokerage with Brad.
But he was putting in 60 to 80 hours a week in a job he hated and not seeing his young family enough. He “loves clothes, loves working with people,” so in spring 2024, he joined his father at Slabotsky’s with plans to one day take over the store.
The day came much sooner than expected with Bruce’s passing.
Slabotsky’s relocation re-envisions his father’s legacy with an entrance on the KC Streetcar line on the east and another entrance from the parking lot on the west — providing easy access to River Market’s residential population, tourists, and area consumers coming down to eat and shop in the district, Michael said, eyeing a greater slice of the non-wedding side of the business.
“The River Market is where we think the magic is happening,” he said.
His father was “super, super, super excited” for the brand and for him to join the shop.
“So it is bittersweet. He would have loved this. He would have lost his shit over this new location,” he said. “He would have lost his shit over GH Monday. I’m putting my twist on it with the hope he is watching down on me.”
Startland News contributor Joyce Smith covered local restaurants and retail for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follow her on Bluesky, here for X (formerly Twitter), here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.
