There are a few people who have been with us since the very beginning. One of them is John Hudgins. John, who sometimes goes by John Richard or JR, got his first taste of Hudson's Hill right when we first opened, when he was still in high school. After a walkabout through life, he's returned to join the team and serves as our shop manager. If you've ordered off our website in the last year, he's the hands that pick and pack it. If you've come in to shop inside the store, he's the smiling face and head full of knowledge that greets and assists you. Long are gone the days when he commonly went by the name JoJo. Enter John, the mature, passionate, learned version of the former.
As the youngest member of our team, JR is the little brother none of us ever had. With a constant willingness to learn and grow out his skills and talents, he's become an integral part of our business. Heck! He's our eyes and ears on a daily basis, and he breathes life into the shop on a daily basis.
When he's not at the shop, he's spending time with his girlfriend Andie, working on fixing up their house in Browntown (for those who know local neighborhoods), working on vintage industrial Singer machines in his home studio, or likely grabbing a cold one at a local dive. What's more, he also works part-time for his mom's store, DRESSCODE, the longest continuously-operating women's clothing store in Greensboro, where he works on the backend with their inventory system.
He's a denimhead and workwear enthusiast, and has even traveled over to Italy to attend a denim course a few years ago, where he got to spend a length of time at Candiani Mills, where he did a deep-dive that ultimately dyed him a shade darker blue, learning about the process from cotton bale to finishing and distressing garments, and everything in between.
What's his favorite item(s) in the store? "All of our in-house items, the fact that we are a retail store with our own self-made items as opposed to just stocking brands has always been one of my favorite things about Hudson's Hill, as well as them being my favorite products through the years. Two pieces that stand out to me personally as long-time favorites are the Patch Pocket Hoodie, and the M1937 denim popover."
Like William, JR's go-to food stop is Brown Gardiner. "Bacon cheeseburger with everything, side of crinkle fries, extra crispy, and an orangeade. This has been my order at Brown Gardiner for well over a decade, and for many years to come."
He's a simple man when it comes to preferred drinks. "In the morning a cup of midnight black coffee. In the evening an ice cold beer, preferrably Pabst Blue Ribbon."
"If there's something not many people know about me, it's that prior to focusing on a career in the apparel and garment industries, I studied Philosphy in college. I also worked as an assistant costumer on HBO prior to the pandemic, during a stint living in Atlanta."
JR's an avid listener of NPR, which is his go-to source for news. For culture or fringe news, he reads Sabukaru.
John's favorite sports team is the Buffalo Bills, and he's a big fan of their QB, Josh Allen. His favorite athlete is Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks. Makes sense, as mentioned he lived for a while in Atlanta, where he assimilated.
So it absolutely makes sense when his favorite domestic vacation destination is Atlanta, right? But, if he could go outside the country for a getaway, it would be to Southern Italy or the west coast of Costa Rica.
If there's some things he never leaves home without, it's a book, a Fieldnotes journal, and a pen.
Last but not least, if he had to describe himself as a flavor of ice cream at Yum Yum's, "I'd be Butterscotch, because I've always been described as an old man even before hitting double digits in age, also their butterscotch is hands down in my top 3 ice creams (the other 2 being oreo and blueberry)."
Thanks for being a part of our team and family, JR. It's been fun to see you grow, and it constantly makes us think "Oh, the places you'll go!" Ultimately, we can't wait to see where life takes you, and the talents and skills you acquire along the way. Cheers, John.