SOMETHING FOR THE GUYS
Davey and Kim Froman lived in Kansas City, but with family in Southeast Kansas, they often made trips down to Pittsburg.
“Each time we’d come down, it felt like there was more new stuff,” Davey said. “You could really feel the momentum and progress in Pittsburg.”
Eventually, that progress, along with the pull of a quieter, slower life in a smaller community, led the family to move back to the Pittsburg area. And that move helped them fulfill a longtime dream.
A nod to both the city’s coal mining history and the late Marilyn Monroe
“Kim and I have long been involved in retail in some capacity,” Davey said, “and we felt like it was time to put our knowledge together and open a shop that fit our personalities and tastes.”
That shop is called Miners + Monroe, a nod to both the city’s coal mining history and the late Marilyn Monroe. It’s primarily a men’s mercantile shop that features a wide variety of clothing and shoe brands for men. Davey said he felt like the resurgence in Downtown Pitt gave him the confidence to open the store.
“The momentum that we were seeing in Pitt made us feel that a shop such as ours could possibly work here,” he said.
After three years in business, plans are of expanding and offering more for the community.
Opening Miners + Monroe was about more than just owning his own shop, Davey said. He wanted to expose Pittsburg to brands and products that are often only found in bigger cities. As someone who takes great pride in fashion and retail, Davey hoped to the up the clothing game for men in the area.
“We search for brands that are timeless, don’t need to be replaced season to season because they are no longer in style and then those that will last through daily wear and tear for quite some time,” he said. “We also try to find brands that look to give back in some capacity, whether that be environmentally or socially.”
Brands like Tentree, Alternative Apparel, and Toms are some of the staples inside Miners + Monroe. The shop also features a collection of vinyl records, watches, and various grooming products.
After three years in business, Davey said he and Kim are starting to talk about plans of expanding their business footprint and offering more things for the community.
“We do have a few concrete dreams and goals in mind,” he said, “one of which we are currently in the process of making come to fruition. Kim and I love live music, and we are getting ready to host our first alleyway concert behind our shop. We would love to grow that idea and make it a continual event.