Tom’s Uniforms is a landmark business in Alhambra, having served the San Gabriel Valley since 1954. It has clothed generations of families from Alhambra and all across SGV as it was passed down through the Shulman family. For 70 years, Tom’s has provided professional uniforms ranging from Fire, EMS, Medical, Law Enforcement, and Security, as well as offering in-house tailoring. We spoke with Alice Shulman, who opened the original Tom’s with her husband in 1954, about the store’s history in Alhambra as the Alhambra Chamber’s 2024 Local Institution of the Year.
AA: Tell me about yourself.
Alice: My name is Alice Shulman — I am Tom’s wife. Tom and I moved from Boston, Massachusetts to sunny California. We first called ourselves Tom’s Men’s and Boys. Then Tom’s Men’s Wear, then Tom’s Big and Tall, and now Tom’s Uniforms.
AA: Why did you choose to open a business in Alhambra?
Alice: We were looking to buy a retail business and were directed to Alhambra. We purchased a Men’s Store at 112 E. Main Street, Alhambra. This was in 1954, before local malls were built and Alhambra was buzzing as the shopping center of the San Gabriel Valley. Police conducted Friday night traffic. [There were] many retail shops such as Liebergs, JCPenney, Bragg, Vandermast, Adorable Shop, Woodruff’s, etc. After 10 years, we moved to 303 E. Main St. And when Holiday Shoe Store left, we broke through and became 301-303 East Main Street. My daughter-in-law Rivi Shulman now runs the store.
AA: What sets Tom’s Uniforms apart from other stores?
Alice: We feel we are a specialized business – personal service and two tailors on the premises.
