Street Style: Meet Drew Altizer of Old House Provisions
When I catch up with Drew, he’s walking Honey, his one-year-old Goldendoodle. I can hear the wind whipping in the background, as he shares, “I don’t get a lot of free moments…dog walks are how I de-stress. Otherwise, I distract myself with work and that’s like kicking the can down the road.” So he walks and talks to get out and grab some air. Understood, because he is head-down, working, working, as an entrepreneur and new business owner of Old House Provisions in Old Town.
He grew up in the D.C. area and during his last years of high school, his family moved to Alexandria, where he attended St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes. After graduation he went to Amherst College in Massachusetts and stayed up in Boston for his early career as a litigation consultant. “I really liked data analytics, but I didn’t feel like I could be the best litigation consultant, so I began to consider other options.” One night began his journey to now. “I went down the shoemaking YouTube rabbit hole…watching video after video. Being a shoemaker felt very visible and tangible. If I put the work in, I could be the best shoemaker, opposed to being the best testifier.”
I ask what sparked this particular YouTube search. He laughs, “I was actually looking for a good pair of shoes for the office…looking at reviews and for a good brand, and it led me to niche, artisanal, Japanese shoe videos.” He says that original fascination led to an obsession with making dress shoes. “I’m not that into shoes and fashion, even though I’m a habberdasher (a dealer in men’s clothing) now. I was more drawn to the process, the craft…the creation, than the end product.”
So what happened next? “I went on unpaid leave for ten weeks, the bulk of my formal training, which was then followed by many more sessions of individual training and shorter lessons with various shoemakers. But it’s really a lifetime learning sort of trade. Can you ever really be the perfect master shoemaker?”
Drew Altizer
Photography: Renée C. Gage Photography
Shoot location: Old House Provisions, 315A Cameron Street
Drew studied in Florence at Stefano Bemer, the only shoemaking school in the world that does traditional handcrafted bespoke shoes, and has instruction in English. There were a number of schools in Tokyo, but they did not provide English instruction. Drew was engaged to his future wife, Kristina, who was in nursing school at the time. “Florence became like a second home, and I got to know the lay of the land. Every time I go back for menswear trade shows, it feels familiar, it’s an inviting place.”
His big takeaway from the course was that taking a swing at being a shoemaker as a career was not as valuable in the U.S. “Overseas they have factories for certain intermediate steps in the process. Not here. That leads to incredibly high costs and prices to the consumer. That’s not something I can charge when no one knows who I am. The solution I came up with was to reach a broader audience by having a store that sells other brands at the same location as my workshop, which would also subsidize shoemaking. Maybe in ten years, I can dedicate myself exclusively to shoemaking with a couple of apprentices in the workshop and a store manager to run the retail operation. By then, even if the apprentices leave with the skills I teach them, the business as a whole can survive.”
As a retail store owner, Drew says he focuses on craft. “As a maker myself, my philosophy around the brands and products I bring in is craft-centric. Category by category, I look for brands or factories that specialize in a particular item. I’ll look for a renowned skirtmaker or a trouser maker or a suit maker; I pick and choose the best in each category.” He often goes directly to the factories. “Some brands are designers…others are lesser known, and of course don’t have the marketing budgets like global luxury firms…these are often as good or better.”
His ideal customer is “a gentleman who cares about what they wear and will invest in quality, knowing that justifies the price. Those who get excited about construction and quality, and know that these items will pass muster – even if held under a microscope.”
Drew is looking forward to taking a swing at getting more men to wear nicer shoes and clothes in Old Town. “We’re coming off a time when athleisure was so big in the 2010s and I was a primary offender of that myself. Natural fabrics tend to be better. Slightly roomier fits flatter more men. Quality shoes last longer. I want to help people with that realization.”
As for his own close-knit circle, Drew’s parents recently moved back to Old Town, and his brother, too. Perhaps, you’ll meet them or Honey at the store. I did meet Drew’s mom, Anne, whose interior design talent brought his stunning space to life. With back to office mandates, weddings and graduations popping up, now is the time to stop in and see for yourself!
Until then, check out Drew’s Street Style:
ABOUT DREW
Neighborhood: Old Town
Hometown: Alexandria
What would surprise people about you? People are usually surprised when they hear that I’m a shoemaker.
Favorite book: Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style by W. David Marx
Guilty Pleasure: Collecting stacks of print books but exclusively reading audiobooks.
Latest binge-watch: The Bear (I sell Chef Carmy’s white T-shirt)
Bucket list travel destination: Osaka and Tokyo again.
STYLE
Define your style in three words or less: Classic elevated minimalism.
The go-to piece in your wardrobe: Navy Fresco J. Mueser Sport Coat, Barnstormer double-pleated chinos, and bespoke suede penny loafers.
Favorite trend: The trend back toward tailoring and Goodyear welted shoes, of course.
Beauty product you can’t live without: Soap
Boots, heels or sneakers? Dress shoes (usually suede).
WELLNESS
Go-to way to de-stress: Walk with my wife.
Most fun way to stay active: Olympic Lifting.
Wellness goal: Avoid gaining weight despite not having as much time to work out these days.
Want to try: A marathon one day.
Proudest wellness achievement: Waking up and deciding to run a half marathon without prior training a few years ago.
HOME
Favorite room in your home: Living room
Antiques, modern, or a mix? Mix
Last item bought for your home: Washing machine
Favorite way to entertain: Putting on events at the store.
Clutter-free or well-lived in? Clutter-free
Next planned purchase: A clothing rack for all my new clothing from the store.
ALEXANDRIA
What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? The collaboration of the community.
Favorite spot in Alexandria: Founders Park
Your go-to shop: Old House Provisions, of course.
Best food spot: Diya Indian Cuisine
Favorite local organization: AEDP: Alexandria Economic Development Partnership
Alexandria event you most look forward to: 4th of July Fireworks.
