For 50 years, Manuel’s tailor shop was a familiar sight driving down Stevens Creek in Santa Clara. But the double whammy of advancing age and the COVID pandemic led to the master tailor writing finis in 2020 to a long career making Bay Area residents look their best.
But lovers of fine tailoring need not worry. The tailor shop on Stevens Creek is now the home of Eduardo’s tailoring, featuring the same top-notch work that was Manuel’s hallmark.
Tailoring is in Eduardo’s DNA: he started in the business at 14 in his father’s shop, and brings 45 years of experience to his work.
“I’ve always been a tailor,” he said. “My grandparents were tailors. I love the work — it’s not just my work, it’s my hobby.”
“He can concentrate on a job for hours and hours,” said Bertha, who is the business manager in addition to operating a bilingual immersion preschool in San José. “He loses track of time and I have to call him to remind him it’s time to come home.”
Eduardo began working for Manuel in the early 1980s and, in 1991, bought Stanley’s Tailoring in Santa Clara, not far from his current location. He sold that business in 1997 after getting a big contract with a suit broker.*
He went on to work for men’s clothing stores like Brooks Brothers and Men’s Warehouse.
“I learned how to deal with big businesses,” he said.
When Manuel closed his business, Eduardo saw a perfect opportunity.
“We talked to Manuel’s son and to the building owner, and they agreed to let us take over the lease,” Eduardo said. “It’s a great location, close to the mall and the traffic on Stevens Creek.”
Opening a business, even one that inherited an established customer base and an outstanding reputation, made for hard going during a pandemic.
“Things were very bad in 2020,” Eduardo said. “I started with two customers. It took two years to get going.”
In the meantime, he did work for Valley Fair and Santana Row stores and remodeled the shop.
Eduardo has expanded the scope of the business. He works with leather, which he learned from his father, whose specialty was leather clothing. He offers custom suits, as Manuel did. Eduardo also offers custom wedding dresses — at reasonable prices that are comparable to those of bridal stores, with the advantage that no alterations will be needed.
Customers give Eduardo superlative ratings.
“I came in with a challenging job that other tailors didn’t want to touch,” one customer wrote on Yelp. “Eduardo was up to the challenge and able to take care of it for a very reasonable price. He also finished the job to accommodate my timeline. Did not need any further tweaks when I went in for a fitting, and couldn’t be happier with the result. He is a true master of his craft.”
Another customer was delighted by Eduardo’s alterations to her wedding gown.
“Eduardo [made] the top fit, shortened the hem, added a bustle, and created a better silhouette ….He recommended a shorter hem and …a sweetheart neckline. I am so glad I went with both of his recommendations! The shorter hem was a lifesaver and the alteration of the neckline ensured the fit was perfect! He knows exactly what he’s doing, offers very fair prices, and works super fast!”
Although none of Eduardo’s children have gone into the business, his grandsons are models for his work. If you stop by the shop, you can see posters of them modeling some very high-fashion wedding party wear.
Eduardo’s Tailoring is at 3237 Stevens Creek, between Winchester and Henry Avenue, on the north (Santa Clara) side of the street.
Carolyn Schuk can be reached at carolyn@santaclaraweekly.com.
*A suit broker buys suits in volume from factories and custom tailors them for individual customers.
Other Small Business Features:
The Good Salad: Santa Clara Restaurant Is Among Yelp’s Top 10 in the Country
The Nesting Spot for Birth & Beyond: Birth of Community Resource Center for Expectant and Fledgling Parents
Wayzn: Letting the Dogs Out Smartly
