The free party for anyone who likes men’s clothing, pig roasts, music or culture. And why it’s putting Charlotte on the map. 

The celebration, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is open to the public and will include a whole roasted hog by Dan the Pig Man, a live musical performance (tip: arrive by 12:30 p.m.), beer, rosé cocktails, and men’s fashion designers, bloggers and artists flying in from all over the country to meet you and share what they love. Oh, and there’s complimentary valet parking in case you were worried about where to park near 421 Providence Road.

As if the copious meats, man-clothing and music was not enough to pique interest, the designer attendees are bringing more to the table than simply showing up.

Here is a short list of TABOR’s guests and some fun facts:

• Alex Drexler, son of J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler and founder of Alex Mill menswear, designed for fathers and their sons to wear together. Before going into fashion, Drexler wanted to pursue a career in the FBI. 
• Alex Faherty of Faherty Brand, a surf-centric, ethical and environmentally sound clothing company. Faherty founded the line with his twin brother after leaving a career in investment banking. 

• Mark McNairy of Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, the clothing, footwear and accessories company known for launching collaborative capsule collections with fellow designer brands. McNairy, the former creative director of J. Press was once the roommate of TABOR’s Perry Poole. 
• Chris & Kirk Bray of Billykirk, an American-made leather and canvas design company established in 1999, will be custom embossing their goods for attendees (Did someone say holiday shopping?). Kirk Bray is also an accomplished artist, focusing mainly on painting and collages.
• Michael Williams, founder of men’s fashion and lifestyle blog, A Continuous Lean. Williams is not only a men’s fashion icon, but he also achieved what many brides aspire towards – his nuptials made Martha Stewart Weddings.
• Justin Livingston, Mississippi-born NYC blogger behind Scout Sixteen. Livingston is coming to Charlotte after traveling and blogging in the Caribbean island of Curaçao, off the coast of Venezuela. 

• Matthew Porter, the well-published photographer will be at SOCO gallery, which shares space with TABOR, signing copies of his recently released coffee table book, Archipelago (2015). Some of his most famous works are photos of muscle cars floating at impossible heights over city- and landscapes.

While the party is full of activities for all levels of men’s clothing aficionados, what the Pooles are doing behind the scenes is quietly changing the way the world views Charlotte, N.C. If they even viewed or thought of it at all, prior.

It should come as no surprise that the city of Charlotte is the center of the universe here at Axios Charlotte. For my fellow non-native Charlotteans, I am sure you understand my frustration when fielding questions from friends at home, such as, “Tell me again, do you live in Charleston or Charlottesville?”

When my husband and I chose to make this city our forever home, everyone back in Manhattan asked where we were heading and few people knew much about Charlotte.

One niche demographic consistently knew exactly where we were heading. Men and women in the fashion industry, be it clothing designers, magazine editors, or PR executives, all nodded knowingly when I told them where we were moving.

The reason they knew was always the same – Capitol, the luxury fashion boutique group behind Poole Shop and TABOR that resides in South Park on Sharon Road. Capitol, and subsequently Charlotte, have not risen to the tip of the fashion world’s tongue by accident.

As the rest of Charlotte patiently waits for the Sunday festivities to start, Perry and Laura Vinroot Poole will spend their weekend welcoming their guests to the city of Charlotte and making a concerted effort to make the people and the city unforgettable.

The men’s fashion crowd flying in to celebrate and attend TABOR’s opening will join the Pooles as they kick off Friday evening with an intimate dinner party in the same space they will throw Sunday’s larger festivities.

On Saturday, the group will head to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR’s Bank of America 500 race to support neighboring SOCO Gallery’s owner, Chandra Johnson, and husband Jimmie Johnson.

The Pooles’ gracious hosting of the guests who so kindly travel here to give us their time and effort, will inevitably leave with a happy imprint of new experiences and a warm feeling of being well looked-after. Though unasked, the Pooles have acted as culture ambassadors for the city of Charlotte and the fashion industry has taken notice.

Be it in the fashion, food, arts, entertainment, culture or finance scene, showing up to support our local businesses’ efforts is the first step in helping Charlotte to earn the global and national recognition it deserves.

For every visitor who comes to our city, let us remember that we have the power to leave as great an impression on them as they do on us.

TABOR

$$$ out of $$$$
421 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28207
(980) 207-4860

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

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(Photo credit: TABOR store photos and photo of Perry and Laura Vinroot Poole via Weston Wells, pig roast photo via Dan the Pig Man’s Facebook page, Billykirk photo via Billykirk)