Don Alans • Timeless Menswear
Bryan and Courtney Fitzsimmons didn’t take over Don Alans men’s clothing store until a year and a half ago, but they’ve already made quite an impression in the community. “We know a lot of the people who come through our door,” says Bryan, referring to their impressive number of return customers.
Part of that can be attributed to the fact that when the couple bought Don Alans from its previous owner, Don Alan Work, the downtown Pensacola shop had already been around for almost 20 years and garnered a loyal following. But in late 2019, Work, then in his early 70s, was ready to retire, so he put the eponymous store up for sale. Bryan’s father just happened to be the listing agent, and mentioned the opportunity to Bryan. Previously employed in the restaurant industry, Bryan had been looking for a new business opportunity that he and his wife could do together, so they went to Don Alans to check it out.
“Everything about it instantly appealed to us,” says Bryan. And the deal was done. But Work wasn’t totally out of the picture. Over dinners and other meet-ups, Bryan and Courtney picked his brain about the men’s clothing business for a good six months. Work still makes regular appearances at the store in his capacity overseeing the custom suit operation.
There have been a few bumps in the road for Bryan and Courtney since taking over, as just four months after they bought Don Alans, they had to shutter its doors for six weeks due to the pandemic. Four months after reopening, Hurricane Sally whipped through town. Luckily, they sustained only minor damage. “We dodged a bullet there,” says Bryan, “because nearby businesses reported being under four feet of water. 2020 was an interesting year.”
Still, despite the challenges and sizable learning curve, Bryan and Courtney are thoroughly enjoying their new venture. “Compared to doing what I was doing, this is a piece of cake,” says Bryan, who oversaw some 1,300 employees and traveled up to five days a week for his most recent post as the director of operations for the Another Broken Egg Cafe franchise.
The Fitzsimmonses invite you to stop by the store and say hello, and check out their expansive collection of designer men’s apparel, accessories, and footwear while you’re there. They carry a handful of items for women as well, including Barbour jackets, Secrid wallets, and Royal Highnies PJs.
June is an especially apropos time to visit, as Don Alan’s is the ideal spot to find that perfect Father’s Day gift. The selection includes button-downs, ties, slacks, jeans, sneakers, sunglasses, and more from upscale brands like Mizzen + Main, Missani, Martin Dingman, and Peter Millar, some of which can’t be found elsewhere in town. Sports coats are a particularly hot seller at the moment, says Bryan, as more and more men are dressing down for work these days. But if you get there and can’t decide what Pop might like, you can always get him a Don Alans gift card so he can pick out something himself. And no matter what you find, Don Alans will happily gift wrap it for you.
401 S. Palafox St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 439-1762
Visit: donalans.com
