PALM TREES, THE SMELL OF
COCONUT OIL AND A NICE LOOSE
FITTING COMFY SHIRT.
TOMMY BAHAMA.
THE COMPANY'S ROOTS ARE DEEP
HERE IN THE TUNDRA OF
MINNESOTA.
BOB GOT US ALL TO RELAX AND
EXTEND OUR WEEKEND WA DROBE, IT
MAKES HIM A MINNESOTAN TO MEET.
WHAT A GOOD PUPPY.
BETWEEN THE STUNNING VIEWS,
A BEAUTIFUL WIFE AND RELAXED
DECOR TAKING UP THE HOME
OFFICE.
WE ARE A LITTLE DISORGANIZED
RIGHT NOW.
IT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO TELL
WHERE THE LEGEND OF TOMMY
BAHAMA ENDS AND BOB WINFIELD'S
REAL LIFE BEGINS.
I KNOW WHAT HE DRINKS, WHO
HE DATED, WHERE HE ATE, WHAT HE
DROVE, AND THIS COULD GO ON FOR
HOURS.
TOMMY BAHAMA STARTED IN HIS
HEAD UNTIL 1990.
I HAVE A LIFELONG FRIEND IN
THE CLOTHING BUSINESS.
TONY MARGOLES AND EMFIELD
HAD WORKED IN THE FIELD FOR
DECADES AND WHEN IT CAME TO
TURPING FANTASY INTO REALITY,
THEY NEEDED A DESIGNER.
LUCIA GASPARINO.
WHEN THE THREE ARE TOGETHER
YOU WOULD SWEAR THE GUY IS IN
THE ROOM.
THEY WANTED TO LAUNCH THREE
CLOTHING LINES.
WE STARTED WITH A MESS.
THEY QUICKLY REALIZED TWO
NEEDED TO BE TRIMMED.
AND STARTED BUILDING ON THE
TOMMY'S FICTIONAL BACKGROUND.
THE STORY KEPT THE PRODUCT
RELEVANT.
THEY MADE UP THEIR OWN
DEMOGRAPHICS.
WE WENT AFTER NAPLES.
WE WENT AFTER SAN DIEGO.
WE WENT AFTER PALM DESERT AND
SARASOTA.
OUR DEMOGRAPHIC WAS ABOUT A GUY
THAT WAS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN
THE DEMOGRAPHIC MOST COMPANIES
WERE USING.
THE TEAM SHORED UP A GARMENT
SUPPLY NER CHINA WHO USED SILK
AND WITH A GROUP CALLED VANITY
SIZING.
SO A MEDIUM WASN'T REALLY A
MEDIUM.
NOT REALLY.
THEN CAME SOME FIGHTS OVER
DESIGN.
NOW WE GOT TO SIT AND NAME
IT.
AND HE SAID I ALREADY GOT THE
NAME.
I SAID WHAT ARE WE GOING TO
CALL IT.
WE WILL CALL IT THE M-FIELDER.
I SAID WHY?
BECAUSE IF THIS ONE BOMBS IT
IS ON YOU.
YOU'RE NOT HANGING IT ON ME.
SUCCESS.
AND THE POPULAR SHIRT THE M
FIELDER.
IT WAS NOT LIKE A LIGHT
SNOWFALL.
IT WAS AN AVALANCHE.
WITH MONEY COMING IN, THEY
FOUND TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING
TO BE CHALLENGING AND BOB
SUGGESTED A RESTAURANT AND
LOCAL RESTAURANTEUR RICHARD
DAMICO.
DECIDED TO DO RETAIL AND
RESTAURANT TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT
WOULD BE EAT-TO-TAINMENT.
THEY OPENED IN NAPLES IN
1992 AND IT WAS A HIT.
EAT-TO-TAINMENT, CANDLES AND
LIFESTYLE ITEMS ON TOP OF
APPAREL.
WHEN DECIDING WHAT TO SELL OR
HOW TO LAY OUT STORES, TOMMY
WAS NEVER FAR AWAY.
WHEN WE HOLD MEETINGS IN
SEATTLE, WHICH WAS OUR HOME
OFFICE, WE USED TO PUT FOUR
CHAIRS AT THE TABLE AND THE
THREE OF US WOULD SIT AND TOMMY
WASN'T HERE YET BUT HE GETS A
VOTE.
WHAT STARTED AS JUST A FEW
EMPLOYEES IN THE EARLY '90s
TURNED INTO 4,000 BY 2004.
THAT'S WHEN THE PARTNERS
DECIDED TO SELL TO GEORGIA-
BASED OXFORD INDUSTRIES.
NOW BOB IS LIVING THE LIFESTYLE
--
IS THAT PART OF THE TOMMY
BAHAMA LIFESTYLE, TOO, YOU GOT
TO HAVE A CIGAR?
CIGARS AND GREAT RED WINE.
HE CAN ONLY IMAGINE 20 YEARS
AGO.
LIFE IS ONE LONG WEEKEND.
SO CIGARS AND WINE, BUT BOB
DOESN'T DRINK.
HASN'T IN 40 YEARS.
BUT HE HAS HIS REALLY GREAT
WINE CELLAR.
LET ME TELL YOU.
HE DOES STAY CLOSE TO THE
OWNERSES.
QUAIL HUNTS WITH THEM EVERY
SINGLE YEAR AND HIS SON GREG
HAS WORKED FOR THE COMPANY
SINCE DAY ONE AND MET HIS
CURRENT WIFE LORI AT HIS SON'S
WEDDING OF ALL PLACES AND BOB
AND LORI GOT MARRIED DOWN THE
STREET FROM THE ORIGINAL TOMMY
BAHAMA RESTAURANT IN NAPLES
FLORIDA, AND NOW SPLIT THEIR
TIME TOGETHER.
AND THAT IS THE REASON FOR