Nashville's first online men's underwear store, Men's Underwear Club, was launched recently by two Middle Tennessee men. We spoke with owner Rodney Jarvis and his partner Nathan West to find out more about how it all came to be.
O&AN: What prompted you to launch the Men's Underwear Club Website?
Rodney Jarvis: We've been wanting to start a business together for years now. The underwear store was a specific idea that had been on the table for a while. We finally committed to making it happen this past April.
O&AN: It seems like launching an online store would be a daunting task. How did you know where to begin?
Rodney: Nathan was already familiar with the way e-commerce works. And, because he does freelance design, he already knew the process for creating an online business. I was experienced with sales and customer service, so I knew what qualities helped build lasting relationships with buyers. Together, they made up the right mix of traits that were needed to get the site off the ground.
O&AN: Why should people shop at Men's Underwear Club?
NathanWest: We hope that Middle Tennessee residents will consider switching to our store because their purchases help support our local economy. By shopping with us, customers are also supporting an all-gay owned business. Even our distributor is gay. We do everything we can to keep it in the family.
O&AN: How do your prices match up to other stores?
Rodney: As far as offering a competitive price, designers are very tight with their regulations. They set the retail price and stores are expected to conform. If you mark it up or down, they can refuse to let you carry their products. It's actually a relief because we know that we are fairly offering products to our customers at the same price as other sites.
O&AN: What does the store carry?
Rodney: We currently offer 20 of the most popular brands in men's underwear. Andrew Christian, C-IN2, N2N, 2(x)ist, just to name a few. We've been adding new products daily and already have 200 items to choose from, and growing. Jockstraps are our most popular item. Fifty percent of all visitors to our site click on jockstraps. They are both comfortable and attractive, and you won't have any embarrassing underwear lines through your clothes. We also carry other styles, such as briefs, boxers, thongs, even swimwear and shirts. There really is something for everyone.
To shop at Men's Underwear Club, visit www.mensunderwearclub.com.