In Celebration of Evergreen’s 40th Anniversary: Featured Local Business
Martin Greenfield Clothiers emphasis is on handmade topnotch quality work has attracted high-profile celebrities including Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Shaquille O’Neal, Jimmy Fallon as well as former American Presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. The founder, Martin Greenfield, is considered America’s greatest living tailor by many. When asked why he would not move his manufacture operations to China where production would be a fraction of the cost, “I would never, ever [consider] it because of all of the American jobs we have created here,” Martin replied in an interview with Levi Welton.
Greenfield’s son Tod, co-owner of Greenfield Clothiers, echoed that sentiment to Welton. “We operate on an ethical level thinking about what is good for our customers, employees and the local neighborhood”, he said. Tod and his brother Jay took over the management of the business when their father retired after 35 years in business.
Before he started his business, Martin Greenfield arrived at the Varet Street factory two years after he was released from a concentration camp coinciding with the fall of Germany’s Nazi regime. He began as a floor boy: he carried the sewn goods from one part of the factory to the other. He rose up the ranks to factory production manager, and then started Martin Greenfield Clothiers.
Martin was a founding member of Evergreen, and through this organization battled the high-crime rate, which at times was a debilitating obstacle to his business’s success. Evergreen was formed in the 1980s to protect the quickly evaporating North Brooklyn employment base. Locally, manufacturers and businesses employed 15,000 residents and Evergreen assists with tax incentives, financing, real estate, relocation, energy, and green-related issues as well as workforce needs through St. Nicks Alliance. Martin Greenfield also served on the board of the St. Nicks Alliance and on Brooklyn Community Board 1.
Martin Greenfield Clothiers has evolved from a cut, make, and trim (CMT) producer for menswear shops, department stores, and designers into a direct-to-consumer custom suit maker. They also produce suits you may have seen on the big screen, the small screen, and the Broadway stage, such as HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby.
Martin Greenfield Clothiers continues to branch out into new directions as was seen during the early stages of the pandemic when they created masks and hospital gowns. Tod Greenfield is optimistic about the company’s future as we crawl out of the pandemic saying “Evergreen was so helpful navigating through the pandemic and now on the other side it’s exciting to see our work on TV and in the movies. A year ago, we measured Robert Duval and Adam Sandler via Zoom for suits featured in the new hit movie Hustle. We are still waiting to see Tom Hanks wearing our suit when A Man Called Otto comes out.” Martin Greenfield Clothiers is open for business!
Evergreen has also continued to grow and 2022 marks their 40th anniversary. This membership organization continues to champion manufacturing, creative production, and industrial service businesses in North Brooklyn and beyond. They connect businesses with resources and opportunities to help create and maintain high-quality jobs at all skill levels. They opened the Wesley H. Watson Industrial Center, multi-tenant manufacturing facility at 500 Stagg Street, this past March.
The Greenline 