Downtown Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Lansky Brothers
Clothier to the King
Photographed by Judith Barber, February 5, 2013
1. Lansky Brothers Marker (side 1)
Inscription.
Lansky Brothers was founded in 1946 by Bernard and Guy Lansky with a $125 investment from their father, S. L. Lansky. The store began at 126 Beale Street as an army surplus store, but gradually changed to accommodate customers interested in a one-of-a-kind look. At the time, Beale Street was the center of the African-American social and music scene in Memphis. Bernard traveled the country looking for unique product. Sometimes outrageous, always years ahead of anything else in town, many of the items were made of bright, vivid colors and silky fabrics. Lansky Brothers quickly became the fashion headquarters to musicians and the clothes savvy, including B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Rufus Thomas.
(Continued on other side), (Continued from other side). It was Elvis Presley who helped establish Bernard Lanskys “Clothier to the King” title and allowed for global recognition. Bernard recalls looking up one day and seeing a young man looking at his windows. He walked up to greet him and told him, “Come on in and let me show you around.” The young man said “I dont have any money, Mr. Lansky, but when I get rich, Im going to buy you out.” Bernard told him “Dont buy me out. Just buy from me!” Lansky outfitted Elvis for his performances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Dorsey Brothers Show and the Louisiana Hayride. Bernard dressed Elvis in the Pink/Black combination, which defined the cool colors of the '50s era. The Lansky family has cultivated a legacy that is three generations now, and is still operating clothing stores in the lobby of the historic Peabody Hotel.
Lansky Brothers was founded in 1946 by Bernard and Guy Lansky with a $125 investment from their father, S. L. Lansky. The store began at 126 Beale Street as an army surplus store, but gradually changed to accommodate customers interested in a one-of-a-kind look. At the time, Beale Street was the center of the African-American social and music scene in Memphis. Bernard traveled the country looking for unique product. Sometimes outrageous, always years ahead of anything else in town, many of the items were made of bright, vivid colors and silky fabrics. Lansky Brothers quickly became the fashion headquarters to musicians and the clothes savvy, including B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Rufus Thomas.
(Continued on other side)
(Continued from other side)
It was Elvis Presley who helped establish Bernard Lanskys “Clothier to the King” title and allowed for global recognition. Bernard recalls looking up one day and seeing a young man looking at his windows. He walked up to greet him and told him, “Come on in and let me show you around.” The young man said “I dont have any money, Mr. Lansky, but when I get rich, Im going to buy you out.” Bernard told him “Dont buy me out. Just buy from me!” Lansky
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outfitted Elvis for his performances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Dorsey Brothers Show and the Louisiana Hayride. Bernard dressed Elvis in the Pink/Black combination, which defined the cool colors of the '50s era. The Lansky family has cultivated a legacy that is three generations now, and is still operating clothing stores in the lobby of the historic Peabody Hotel.
Erected 2011 by the Lansky Family & Shelby County Historical Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1946.
Location. 35° 8.404′ N, 90° 3.217′ W. Marker is in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It is in Downtown Memphis. It is at the intersection of Beale Street and South 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west on Beale Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 126 Beale St, Memphis TN 38130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West Tennessee. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in the Upper South, in the Mississippi Delta, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2013, by Judith Barber of Marietta, Georgia. This page has been viewed 1,508 times since then and 75 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 16, 2013, by Judith Barber of Marietta, Georgia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
