My Biz: Iowa City’s Full Kit carries ‘brands you never heard of’

On a hot day in mid-July, the guys at the Full Kit in Iowa City are putting out new merchandise and prepping looks for an upcoming fashion show.

Owner Mitch Dettman opened the men's clothing and footwear boutique in downtown Iowa City some 16 years ago.

'There's never been a day I didn't get excited about getting up and coming to work,” he said.

The shop, while small, features an impressive selection of tees, jackets, pants, hats, bags and other menswear accessories. But shoppers won't find anything formal or likely even anything fitting for the office.

'I'd say it's more street wear but that is ever changing because the market is always changing,” Dettman said. 'But now more than ever men are shopping. The younger generation in particular puts a lot into how they look. And I am really into what I do, I like clothes and shoes. But I'm not going to pretend for a second that I can sell women's clothing.

'We have brands you've heard of - and some that you haven't - but the items we carry are ones you won't find in other local stores,” he added, noting that they carry Vans, New Balance, adidas, Stussy and Fair Play. 'If you get something here, there's a good chance you won't bump into someone else wearing it.”

While the Full Kit has been on the edge of downtown just steps off the Ped Mall for all 16 years, Dettman admits he hears often that people had no idea the shop was there. 'When I hear that, it just lets us know there is more work to be done.”

Before opening the Full Kit, Dettman had worked for years in the men's fashion world.

'My first job out of high school was working in a store similar to this,” he said. 'I worked there for several years and figured out I had done everything I could there outside of owning the store.”

So he decided to give it a shot. 'As a person in my early 20s, I'd had a lot of fun in Iowa City and decided I should open the store there.”

It has been a good fit ever since, he said. 'We do see more local traffic in the summer, but now we are gearing up for back to school.”

He opened a second location two and a half years ago in his hometown of Davenport. 'Opening the store there was like going home.”

Between the two shops there are just three employees, so Dettman certainly puts in time interacting with customers.

'I spend time working behind the counter and have a handful of hours at both the stores in any given week. I also do all the ordering and everything behind the scenes like the payroll and scheduling,” he said.

He also runs social media and takes product photos - 'I would say I'm a man of many hats.”

And like many shop owners, Dettman most enjoys interacting with shoppers. 'It's always been the customers,” he said of the best part of his work. 'Especially here in Iowa City, you see your customer base rotate because it is a college town. And the back and forth interaction you have with customers definitely makes every day interesting. We meet so many cool people here. Some are customers for life. Their style might change but they still come in and hang out. When you have a small store like this, I have more of an interest in what is sold here and our customers feel more like family.”

AT A GLANCE

Owner: Mitch Dettman

Business: The Full Kit

Address: 332 E. Washington St., Iowa City

Phone: (319) 248-1083

Website: www.thefullkit.com

l Know a business in operation more than a year that would make an interesting 'My Biz”? Contact michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com