Just like his father Lou carefully watched the business and when the time was right, made his own changes. For years he had been serving short men who had difficulty in purchasing clothing without spending a king's ransom in alteration charges or on made-to-measure suits. He decided to open a division that would cater exclusively to gentlemen 5'8" and under.

In the seventies, Lou introduced the unique concept of 'Short Man' to Toronto: niche marketing years ahead of its time. As with all good ideas, the division grew and became so successful that finally the name was officially changed to Short Man Brown's.

One store was not enough. Just as Brown's had grown and changed, so had the Toronto of Willie Brown. In 1982, a second store was opened at 1975 Avenue Rd.

Willie in front of second hand store. Circa 1939.

Willie passed away in 1995 in his 93rd year. Active in business until his death, his philosophy of treating customers fairly and honestly is still a cornerstone of the business. The father and son tradition continues with Lou's son Jeffrey joining Short Man Brown's in recent years. All of the regular customers we've come to know are all part of the very interesting history we're part of.

Another generation, another page and the Brown's tradition continues to evolve into a truly global concept, with merchandise from around the world. Join the Brown's story and find out for yourself why we're now 'Brown's A Short Man's World'.