By Ken Williams | Editor
For most of his 48 years on this planet, Chuck Donk didn’t think twice about wearing caps or beanies.
“I’ve never really been a ‘hat’ person,” he said.
Donk — who has a house in Julian and a condominium in North Park — decided there must be a demand for logo-free headgear.
“I’ve always noticed people wearing beanies and caps, usually with big logos of some kind on them, and they were expensive,” he said. “I’ve always remembered one of the first monthly clubs in the world, the Wine of the Month Club. Seems now that there is almost every variety of monthly clubs out there. With that in mind, I thought up the Beanie Cap Club, an online store for people who like to accessorize their wardrobe at a reasonable price and logo-free.”
Customers can choose a color palette or click the “surprise me” button.
Here are five questions with Donk:
- What is the Beanie Cap Club, and why did you launch this internet business?
Beanie Cap Club is a fun, economical online store to accessorize your wardrobe. Each month a beanie and/or cap is delivered to your door. The styles and colors of the beanies and caps change monthly — that’s where the fun comes in. All beanies and caps are logo-free, which means they can be worn in any setting.
I launched this store as an online store, because I like beanies and caps. When I go out shopping, I mostly see expensive hats with huge logos on them. I wanted to offer an easy outlet for people to get beanies and caps, logo-free, and at reasonable prices.
- What is the Beanie It Forward Project and who benefits from it?
A couple of friends mentioned, “What if I don’t like the beanie or cap?” and I thought, “Well it’s just a beanie/cap. It’s not the end of the world! ” I said they could “Beanie It Forward” to a friend or family member and then wait for their next month’s shipment to arrive.
During this thought process, it also came to mind all of the homeless people I see in San Diego and across the nation, especially with the long winter we just had. In keeping with the “Beanie It Forward” theme, I tested it out with some sample merchandise I had picked out.
One night I ventured out carrying a few beanies and some people asked for handouts. I said, “I’m sorry I don’t have any cash for you tonight, but I have a brand new beanie that I would like to give you.” It was gladly accepted and appreciated by those in need.
With that outcome, I immediately wanted to have the Beanie It Forward Project to be a crucial part of my business. Since there is a lower overhead with an online store, I am pledging 10 percent of net profits in the form of beanies that can be taken to shelters or by volunteers in certain neighborhoods and handed out.
My goal for 2017 is to take several hundred beanies to be handed out with Thanksgiving meals.
- What kind of commitment does a customer have to make to join the club?
Joining the Beanie Cap Club is easy: Visit BeanieCapClub.com. You can give us a try for a month, or sign up for a monthly subscription. You can pause or cancel, hassle free, anytime.
There is also an option to sign up for two months up to six months, ending automatically. Based on the color palette you choose, the beanies and caps are handpicked each month and sent out for you to enjoy.
- Do you have a day job, and what is your professional background?
My day job is at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center in Mission Valley. I’ve been in the hotel industry for over 25 years in just about every department.
- What do you like about living in North Park?
I just bought a condo in North Park and have been a resident of San Diego for over 40 years. I love the diversity in North Park and the welcoming of different businesses.
Beanie Cap Club will be having a booth at the SDCCU Festival of the Arts in North Park on May 20.
—Ken Williams is editor of Uptown News and can be reached at [email protected] or at 619-961-1952. Follow him on Twitter at @KenSanDiego, Instagram at @KenSD or Facebook at KenWilliamsSanDiego.
