Sunday, September 14, 2008
Life, In this Issue..., Style

The threads of time

Thread House owner Scott Cannon’s diverse lifestyle leads to edgy boutique

By Carly Felton

He’s delivered pizzas, bagged groceries, performed janitorial duties, sold newspapers door-to-door and cars on-site, developed and leased commercial real estate, spun music as a DJ and, oh yes, worked at Abercrombie and Fitch. But that last one was just for two weeks in high school.
    
So how did Scott Cannon, owner of Thread House boutique, go from working a variety of unrelated jobs to owning a successful shop featuring edgy men’s and women’s fashions in Midtown?

“I have always been more the creative type and interested in the arts,” he says. “My passion and ‘hobby’ has been DJing for the past 10 years. … I could see from being in the nightclub scene that there was a fashion renaissance taking place in the city. It seemed to me like a great time to open a trendy boutique in the city, especially the Midtown area, and here we are!”

After growing up in Marietta and spending time in Connecticut, Tennessee, Los Angeles and Costa Rica, among other locales, Cannon returned to Atlanta and opened Thread House one year ago. “The variety of cultures and experiences has played a role in shaping me as a person, as well as my taste in style and fashion,” he says. “From age 6 and up, I was always putting together odd outfits, like jam shorts with two-colored Converse and silk shirts, among other embarrassing fashions. … It’s something I have always been intrigued by, [but] it wasn’t until college that I started to pay close attention to the changing trends.”

Now well past college, Cannon, along with his mother/buyer Peggy and store manager Jessica Gruen, take fashion trends into account when selecting stylish, often rock-inspired, clothing to feature in the store. Thread House sells everything from denim, belts and shoes for both sexes, to simple, sexy tops and dresses for women and funky tees and comfy jeans for men.

“We stay on top of the trends by offering new and upcoming lines that are exclusive to Thread House,” Cannon says. “There are many lines we choose not to carry for the simple fact that they can be found in every department store and every other boutique. … I don’t know anywhere in Atlanta where you can find such a diversity of fashions.”

Brands new to the boutique include Di Hara, Raina, Gold Hawk, Frankie B, Laguna Beach Jean Co., Monarchy, Free People, J. Steger and Ted Baker. Local designers Joxasa and Feliz, who make leather wrist bands, are also popular. 

The variety of styles and brands reflects Cannon’s diverse taste; however, he says his favorite item in the store is a Dom Rebel Crystal Skull shirt with more than 1,000 crystals on it. (He insists they are applied in “a tasteful way.”) 

“The [Thread House] vibe is fun, laid-back, sexy, unpretentious and rock 'n’ roll all in one,” Cannon says. “We designed the store in a gothic/modern motif, so that’s where the rock ‘n’ roll vibe comes from.”

    Although he says “style is not limited by one’s age,” Cannon contends that Thread House’s typical shopper is between the ages of 25 and 45, and prices range from $40 to $350.
New merchandise arrives on a weekly basis, and sales are held seasonally. In addition, parties—complete with drinks and a live DJ—are held for customers at the store every couple of weeks. 

Look for a Thread House e-commerce site, coming later this year, as well as Cannon’s own line, called Scott Free Clothing. It will include T-shirts, polos, hoodies, wovens, leather biker jackets, hats, accessories and denim. “I’ve never been more excited about anything!” Cannon exclaims. “Of course, Thread House will be the first to carry the line, so stay tuned.” SP