BROOKVILLE Pa. (EYT) – It all started on the side porch of the Earley family home in 1989.
(Pictured above: Brad Earley at the entrance to his new store.)
What was originally just a side project to sell outdoor apparel has now developed into a full-fledged business that now has its fifth home in Brookville. The company, Blue Collar Workwear, is now the new owner of Jack’s Boot Shop in Brookville.
Brothers Brad and Dan Earley are at the helm of the company as their father’s start-up business expands to its fifth location.
“Blue Collar Workwear was started by my father (Mike) out of our side porch about 30 years ago,” Brad Earley told exploreJeffersonPA.com. “Back then, it was called Earley’s Outerwear. Now, we have stores in Olean, Rochester, Jamestown, Ellicottville, and now this store in Brookville.”
The Western New York-based company is expanding to its first location in Pennsylvania. Earley said the store’s location and its culture influenced by the previous owner Steve Logue were the major reasons for Blue Collar Workwear’s expansion to the Brookville area.
“When we came down here and saw the location and also the culture that Steve had developed we thought it was identical to the story from our business,” Earley explained. “Steve (Logue) was looking for someone to take over the store that had that same type of story. We saw it as a perfect fit.”
Jack’s Boot Shop was founded by Steve’s father, Jack Logue, of Sligo, in 1963; the business was originally a hardware store.
While the Earley family is taking over the business, they still want to honor the history of the store and offer the same products as Jack’s Boot Shop.
“We don’t want people to lose the feel of Jack’s Boot Shop because we bring the same thing,” Earley said.
He explained that the business is just being rebranded as Blue Collar Workwear. The same products that Jack’s Boot Shop sold will continue to be sold at Blue Collar Workwear.
While the Earleys will keep the same products that Jack’s supplied, they have plans to expand their camping selection and add women’s Carhartt products.
“The opportunity that we see is a huge camping area,” said Earley. “We have a lot of real estate over here that we can use, and we are excited to see what we can offer besides what’s already here.”
While the company is rebranding the store’s aesthetics with new outdoor signs and doormats, they also need to hire employees, including a manager and an assistant manager.
Earley said they are looking for a manager that fits their culture, emphasizing that the customer comes first.
“It is important to continue the legacy of Jack’s Boot Shop. We owe a big thank you to Steve (Logue) for the seamless transition and for giving us this opportunity,” Earley noted.
Blue Collar Workwear’s Brookville is currently open to the public.
Their hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday; and 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
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