Lansky Brothers (better known as Lansky's) is a clothier in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

. It has gained worldwide recognition for being the choice location to buy clothes for musicians including Roy Orbison, Isaac Hayes, and

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

History

Lansky Bros. was started in 1946 at 126 Beale Street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It started as a store that sold leftover

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

supplies from

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, Bernard took advantage of the elevating Beale Street music scene and looked to provide clothing for the typical characters of Beale who wanted to dress dapper. After a few years of business, Lansky Bros. already had an impressive list of customers, among them being

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington and

B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...

. At the start of 1952, Bernard noticed a young man who would continuously walk past his window and look inside, but never actually came inside to buy anything. Eventually, Bernard went to invite the man in. It was seventeen-year-old

, who worked at the local Loew's Theatre. According to Guy, Elvis told the brothers that he was going to buy him out when he got enough money. According to the historical marker on Beale Street in Memphis, Bernard Lansky responded: "Elvis, don't buy me, buy from me!" Once Elvis became an international

superstar A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...

, Lansky Brothers provided much of his attire, including his outfit for his first appearance on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...

'' in 1956. "I put Elvis in his first suit, and I put him in his last," Lansky recalls. In 2001, Lansky's established a new line of clothing entitled "Clothier To The King," which provides reproductions of clothing that Elvis actually wore combined with new 1950s-inspired clothing. At some point, Lansky Brothers moved from its original location at 126

Beale Street Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately . It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of blues music. Today, t ...

to Memphis' renowned

Peabody Hotel The Peabody Memphis is a historic luxury hotel in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, opened in 1925. The hotel is known for the "Peabody Ducks" that live on the hotel rooftop and make daily treks to the lobby. The Peabody is a member of Historic Hot ...

. It subsequently re-opened a second location at 126 Beale Street inside the Hard Rock Cafe complex in July 2014 Musicians who currently shop there include

The Jonas Brothers The Jonas Brothers () are an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network. They consist of three brothers: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. Raised in ...

, Robert Plant,

Eddie Floyd Edward Lee Floyd (born June 25, 1937) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter, best known for his work on the Stax record label in the 1960s and 1970s, including the No. 1 R&B hit song " Knock on Wood". Biography Floyd was born in ...

, Stephen Stills, Steven Tyler, Dr. John, Gavin DeGraw. In 2001, Lansky Bros. unveiled a historical marker at 126 Beale St. to celebrate the history of Lansky Bros. at the original location. Bernard died on November 15, 2012. According to his sister, he died of Alzheimer's disease too. Bernard Lansky's son (Hal Lansky) and granddaughter (Julie Lansky) continue to run the business now located in the Lobby of the Peabody Hotel. For more information, go to www.lanskybros.com.

References

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External links

Interview with Bernard Lansky
Clothing retailers of the United States Companies based in Memphis, Tennessee