If The Manual was a store it would be Portland Oregon’s Beam & Anchor. They have a little bit of fashion, grooming, living, food and booze (well growlers!) and it’s the kind of place you just want to hang out in, which we did for hours letting time slip away from us while we touched and toyed with nearly every item. Serious sensory overload.
To learn more about the concept we spoke to one of the founders, Mister Robert Rahm, to hear how his vision came to be. We also took a minute to hear about his personal style.
Here is Robert’s story in his own words:
I was raised in small town in Southern Missouri. Early in life I was given an appreciation for how things are made by watching my grandfather work our family farm. I think that sunk into my bones and fired my desire to understand what it truly takes to make something with your own hands.
30 years later I was working with at-risk teenagers as a therapist. I loved working with teenagers but as a way to de-stress I began making and refurbishing furniture in my brother-in-law’s wood shop. The time in the wood shop brought back strong memories of the world I grew up in.
With the help of my wife, Jocelyn, I began working on how I could transition to a more creative world. Once we found the 7000 sq ft. warehouse to house both a large shop space and a store, things started to fall into place. We found that once we started talking about why we wanted to start the business within the creative community, connections began forming. We developed relationships with other creatives around our shared desire to incorporate simple beautiful aesthetics, craftsmanship, quality materials and functionality.
Robert discusses his personal style with us below:
Jeans: I have several pairs of Imogene + Willie Jeans, (both the Barton and Willie). I have family in Nashville so I’ve always gotten fitted in person, which is an awesome experience. They just opened their second store in Portland so I’m excited to support them locally.
Shirts: I discovered Gustin when I heard about their business model using crowdsourcing. They have a really elegant product with amazing materials and a perfect fit. I’m a huge fan.
Pants: Honestly, I’m not a pants guy.
Suits: Not a suit guy either. The last suit I bought was a wool J.Crew suit.
Shoes: I oscillate between work and comfort. I own several pairs of Redwing 875’s (ode to my hunting roots in rural MO), lots of Vans, and various pairs of lace up Justin Roper‘s.
Accessories: My watch of choice is a Sector Diver and my wife gave me a Navajo sterling bracelet that I love.
Outerwear: My faves are a vintage French Indigo work coat, a bunch of vintage hunting jackets, Barbour Motorcycle Jacket, and an Apolis chore jacket.
Favorite App: I’m not much of a tech guy but I really like the Weather Channel App!
Favorite piece of technology: My iphone gets me out of a lot of trouble (and into some too).
Next tech purchase: Macbook Air.
