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EAST WASHINGTON LIFE
Tailor by Trade
article by Tessa Moran | photos by Ben Crosbie
politics and women, of course.” J.C.
Lofton was the first black tailor in
Washington, DC, a title Cheryl is
deeply proud of. His picture hangs
above the doorway between where
customers are fitted and their clothes
are sewn, a family business still thriv-
ing 72 years after it was started. Self-
taught, J.C. Lofton opened his first
store in 1939 at 1513 H Street NW,
followed in 1945 by a school of tai-
loring. The school catered to blacks
leaving the military who couldn’t get
into white trade schools, and in the
process of learning how to sew, they
learned how to make caps, helping
Lofton fulfill a contract he had with
the military.
In the picture above the door
Lofton is wearing his prom suit,
which he made himself; cut down
from a suit six sizes too large. “That’s
how he discovered he was going to
be a tailor,” Cheryl says looking up
at the picture. She’s a statuesque Af-
rican American woman with short
Cheryl measures Tony Rogers for his white prom tux. buzzed hair, dressed in neatly tailored
slacks and a tucked pressed button-
A
teenage girl peers into down set-off with feminine kitten
the shop. A trio of man- heels. Tailoring didn’t find her the
nequins stands tall behind same way it did her grandfather. “My
the window, one fitted in grandfather used to come home with
a bright pink cocktail dress, the other strings coming off of him, and his
two in tuxedos with pink bow ties. shirt would be out. He started in the
It’s a few minutes before she steps morning looking perfectly pristine
in, pausing at the door: “Do you and he’d come home with a needle
have work clothes?” “No we don’t,” behind his ear or something. And I
the woman at the counter responds, said no, I don’t want to do that.” In-
smirking as her eyes follow the girl stead, she wanted to do what no-one
out the door. “You remember her in her family had done before: go to
right?” she turns to her co-worker, a college, where she would study com-
petite woman whose arms are brim- munications and marketing.
ming with clothing. “She don’t think Cheryl adjusts the straps of a
we remember all that prom drama flowered floor-length gown. “Are you
she put us through last year, does sure that doesn’t make the waist too
she?” The two shake their heads in high”, the young woman asks, cock-
chorus. ing her head as she looks at herself in
Cheryl Lofton remembers all her the mirror. “It looks gorgeous. This is
customers, even the difficult ones. the way it’s supposed to be,” Cheryl
Most she cherishes. “My grandfather reassures over her shoulder, speak-
was good like that too. He knew all ing to their collective reflection. She
of his customers by name.” They’d turns to the crowd of customers now
bring him lunch while he was fixing gathering at the door. “She used to
Tony Rogers decides on a tux for his prom. their clothes, and chit chat. “Mostly wear her pants low too. We just had
36 ★ EAST OF THE RIVER MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2011
Pain & Rehab Center
to break her out of Dr Nesley Clerge, DC
it.” The group laughs.
Heon Jang, PT , DPT
It’s a mix of young
and old, wealthy
and not, black and Auto Accidents and other injuries
white, all looking on We accept Workers Comp and Medicare
as one is fitted after
another.
The same mix
of patrons lined her
grandfather’s shop.
“He had just as many 2041 MLK Ave SE Ste 106
white clients as he Washington DC 20020
did black. Every- 202-610-0260
body was family with
my grandfather,”
Cheryl remembers. A photo of Cheryl’s grandfather J.C. Lofton hangs in the fitting room.
She spent a lot of
INTERESTED IN
time at the shop as gree and nobody could expect me to come
a young girl, watching her grandfather cut back to the family business but as it turns
PURCHASING A HOME?
and trim the cloth of influential Washing- out, how I made my money in college was
tonians: Spiro Agnew, Washington Post what?” she laughs. On Friday nights, she’d
reporter William Raspberry, Jessie Jackson, hem pants and press shirts for students on
and entertainers like Chubby Checker and their way out to party. Soon, she was fielding
Fats Domino, a reflection of Washington, requests for custom clothing. As graduation
DC’s vibrant political, cultural and musical neared, J.C. Lofton fell ill with Alzheimer’s
history. disease and the family began to question the
The shop itself provided a tour of DC’s future of Lofton Custom Tailoring. Cheryl’s HOMEBUYER EDUCATION
northwest, moving throughout the years father was already heavily involved with his
from 15th & H to the old Quaker State successful upholstery business, so he couldn’t WORKSHOPS FOR SUMMER 2011
Building at 609 F Street then 15th and P take it over. That’s when Cheryl ultimately SATURDAYS 9 AM - 5 PM
Street, “which at the time was nowhere near stepped in. The day she opened up a new Sept. 10th & 17th
what it is now,” Cheryl remarks. “My grand- shop on 17th & Corcoran, J.C. Lofton FEE $25. (Includes manual, PayPal fees; light refreshments and lunch)
father was open on 15th Street at the time passed away. “It was probably the saddest
727 15th Street NW, 8th Floor | DC 20005
when the riots took place” but because it was day of my life because I really wanted him
one of the few commercial establishments to see it.” At the NCRC Training Academy
on the street, it was spared the looting and “I look like an eggplant,” Jane Milosch REGISTER at: http://hbetraining2011.eventbrite.com
burning that occurred up and down 14th. says looking at herself in the mirror as she For more info call: 202-464-2719 email: Jobabatunde@NCRC.org
Two teenage boys are in the shop with begrudgingly tries on her bridesmaid’s dress,
their mothers, both ordering custom-made a shiny purple taffeta cocktail dress. She
tuxedos for upcoming proms. Tony Rogers, smoothes out the puff of the dress at the
a senior at Hyde Leadership Public Charter, bottom, asking if she can make it A-line. visit us at www.NCRC.org
is looking for a white tux and shoes, which “Why couldn’t I do that? What would hap-
he plans to pair with a bright pink tie and pen?” she stammers. “You might get beat up,” YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC
pocket square, a color scheme chosen by his Cheryl says as if it’s a matter of fact. She’s
date. “Stand with your legs together for me,” used to playing mediator between bride and
Cheryl asks as she measures his slim waist. bridesmaid, prom goers and their mothers. Providing the
Next she wraps the tape measure around his The presence of women is probably the big- Hill’s Finest
neck. “I’m going to go with something be- gest difference between her shop and her Repair Services
tween 15.5’ and 16’ so that it’s not too tight,” grandfather’s. Back then, only men and their Since 1916
she tells Roger’s mother who is beaming at sons went to the tailor while girls would typ-
her son, a Rugby star who has plans to play ically have their clothes sewn by their moth-
Pat’s
at Michigan State next year. “They just beat ers at home. Now Cheryl tailors both men’s
Pat Jones, ASE Certified
Gonzaga,” Cheryl boasts as she writes down and women’s clothes, shunning the labels of Master Automobile Technician
the measurements. seamstress or tailor. “I’m a tailoress. I can do
She has two boys of her own, pictured on everything a man can do to tailor a suit, only COMPLETE FOREIGN &
her computer in perfectly tailored suits. Her I’m a girl.” AMERICAN CAR REPAIR
oldest, 26, plans to take over the business if
his mom ever decides to retire, a thought far Cheryl A. Lofton & Associates is located 721 T
645 Maryland Avenue, NE
from Cheryl’s mind. “I figured I’d have a de- Street NW. ●
202.547.4200 • capitolhillgarage.com
CAPITALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM ★ 37
