Jack A. Weil "Papa Jack"

 

Jack A. Weil “Papa Jack” was born in Evansville, Indiana on March 28th, 1901. Growing up, During World War I, Jack worked at D.S Bernstein Overall Company after school. Here he got his first glance at the apparel manufacturing industry. In 1926, Bernstein Co. transferred Jack to Colorado where he would unknowingly live the rest of his 107 year old life. "When I came to Denver highway 40 down Colfax was a gravel road," he recalled. Several years later in 1935, Jack officially entered the Western Wear business by attaining a job at Stockman Supply, a wholesaler of hats and jeans for cowboys and farmers. He would work here until eventually starting his very own western wear business. 

Attending rodeos and being in the industry, Jack saw first hand bull riders tearing their shirts on the horns of the bull while riding. It sparked an idea... if you have a western shirt with snaps instead of buttons when a bulls horn gets caught in the riders shirt it will unsnap rather than rip through the material. His idea became a reality In 1946, when Rockmount Ranch Wear Manufacturing Company was born with Jack's signature design of western shirts with sawtooth pockets and diamond pearl snaps. Down the road in 1954, his son Jack B. joined the firm and then his grandson Steve Weil in 1981. The firm was ran by the three generations for 30 years after that. and is still family operated today.

In 1993, Jack A. Weil was accredited by the New York Times for creating the first Western shirt with snaps.

In 2001, Mayor Webb of Denver honorably renames the street Rockmount has resided on for 76 years to Jack A. Weil Way for his 100th birthday.

 

On August 13th, 2008 Jack A Weil sadly passed away. He was the oldest CEO in the world, working daily until age 107. He is still very much alive today through his family and his thriving business. 

"Papa Jack didn’t just create a new kind of shirt, he started a whole new fashion. He gave those who identify with the American Western way of life a style tailored specifically for them. Rockmount stands out from other fashion companies because we have maintained a consistency of design across three generations. We go our own direction and don’t look to other brands for our inspiration.  —Steve Weil. 

Get to Know the Jack A Weil trough his legendary quotes and a video of him below by Beth Harrison. 

 

 

Papa Jack Quotes:

"The world doesn’t need another boring shirt"

“People want to wear something unique and we provide it.  The idea never ages.”

“The west is not a place, it’s a state of mind.”

“We never sell just the cowboy. We sell the romance of the west.”  

“We invented the snap shirt because cowboys don’t stop to sew buttons back on.”  

 “People know our merchandise in the real thing.  That’s why they buy it.”

“Always live east of your work, so you don’t face the sun driving in or driving home.”

“Tell the truth and you’ll never have to remember what you said.” 

“We will never be the biggest frog in the pond.”

“My wife always said this business was my mistress. I think she was right.”

“I didn’t know anything about the western wear business, but I knew what I liked.”

“I guess I was just lucky that kids want to be cowboys and cowgirls.”

“You can’t win playing another man’s game. I have invested in my own game and done OK.”

“People tell me my memory is wonderful. Who the hell is around to contradict me?”

“If you love what you do, don’t stop.”

"Like good whiskey, Rockmount shirts get better with age."

“Buying “Quality Merchandise” is like buying oats. If you want nice, clean, fresh oats, you must pay a fair price. However, if you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through the horse…. they come a little cheaper.”