The Hawke & Dumar Custom Goods Company was established in 1968 by three childhood friends that grew up together in Charleston, South Carolina. Brothers, John and Daniel Dumar, worked with their dad, at Dumar & Sons Surplus Co., a family-owned business, after school.  They sold tools, uniforms and work-wear attire to the locals that worked at the nearby railroad and lumber yards.
 
While in college, the boys would return home each summer to work at the store.  They always admired their dad’s sense of style and class, but also appreciated the rugged look that the retail and lumber yard workers possessed.  Some of the work-wear products were of a very high quality, and they incorporated some of those pieces into their everyday wardrobe.
 
The brothers grew up with James Hawke, whose mother and father worked for Mr. Dumar. Mr. and Mrs. Hawke were both tailors, making Mr. Dumar’s custom suits. James spent a considerable amount of time around the store, and, as a result, the Dumar boys and James Hawke became the best of friends.
 
In 1968, while the Dumar boys were in their last year of college (Daniel attended Georgetown University working towards a law degree and John attended the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a degree in engineering), John thought it would be a good idea to spend his final spring break, with his brother, in Washington D.C.  James, of course, tagged along.  While in D.C., the three of them attended a rally that featured a young and energetic speaker who spoke of “following your dreams”.  All three boys were motivated by what they heard and touched, emotionally and spiritually, by what they saw.  The entire experience reminded them of what they observed while growing up – the vision of their parents, of a promising and prosperous future for their boys.  All three were in silent agreement as to what they should do next.  It was then that they discovered their American Dream.
 
The Dumar boys and James Hawke all returned to school for the remainder of their final semester. Although they were all previously on divergent paths, the trip to Washington D.C. brought them back together and their lives had now come full circle.  They had a unified vision to create what they grew to love; Classic American fashion, inspired by the heritage from where they came.  That summer the boys all returned to Charleston, and it was there that this idea would become what we all now know as The Hawke & Dumar Custom Goods Company, est. 1968.