#dtfw

2/6/20 is 260 Day in Fort Wayne. The entire day is filled with deals, specials, and lots of pride for 260. That pride is being felt throughout downtown and the surrounding area thanks to some help from First & Wilkerson Designs.

Located at 127 West Wayne Street, First & Wilkerson Designs were found in the original City Exchange Shops. Since then, they have grown their space after new construction. The store is filled with all kinds of fashions and items that really connect with the pride so many of us are experiencing in Downtown Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana at large.

Owned by John (Ambriole) who works with creative mastermind, Taryn, these two have created something special. John says that they have grown over 200% since they opened their doors that now allows them to sell both via e-commerce and directly from their brick and mortar store.

John says, “You want people to feel good in their clothing. That’s what it comes down to. We are all branding ourselves. You can tell a lot about a person by how they wear their clothes. It’s how it feels and how you feel in it. We offer a lot of the softer tri-blend materials that reflect that for our customers.”

Taryn says, “We have been under the radar, so people are pleasantly surprised to see so much Fort Wayne stuff when they come into the store. We also have so many people that order shirts for family occasion from baby showers to family reunions. You can order as little as one shirt or as many as hundreds with the design that you want.”

John adds, “Our longest lead time is a maximum of ten days but we are usually much quicker than that. You could also have your shirt in as little as 20 minutes. We are an on demand printer; a direct to garment printer.”

Their love for Fort Wayne can be felt not just in their shirts but in their daily conversations. Overhearing their chats with local shoppers, it’s not uncommon to hear them talking about the growth of Downtown Fort Wayne, the ease of connecting with locals, or how excited they are for the future.

Taryn grew up in Fort Wayne but swore she’d leave and never come back when she grew up. “But now I realize, as a thirty-something millennial, that it’s not awful at all like I thought it was. I take inspiration from growing up here and have a new appreciation for where I live. The downtown revitalization is easy to find inspiration from every single day.”

John says, “There is a real vibe here. Downtown Fort Wayne is incredible in the summer and I love seeing so many people out and about. My wife and I love getting into the city and pounding the pavement. Getting from place to place on foot with so much to do is really amazing. I am so glad that I put the store in downtown. “

We are, too, John.

Check out First & Wilkerson Designs at firstwilkerson.com! Happy 260 Day!