Our Story

It all started in 1946 with two guys from North Beach in San Francisco. Their common thread was music. Louis Malvino (Saxaphone, Clarinet) and George Campanelli (Piano and many other instruments).

They met through common friends and a passion for music which led to a long and storied friendship. As lore has it, after the war (the big one-WWII) they were standing on a corner in the city and turned to each other and asked, “Maybe we should go into business?”

Army surplus was in abundance and so that was the focus of their efforts. After securing a space on Grant avenue, and a loan from George's dad, they moved into the world of retail and never looked back. In 1958, as the surplus ran out and the streets changed in North Beach, Lou and George thought it was time to move to Marin County after being pitched on a new shopping center concept that would forever change the face of retail.

The merchandise offering would also change for Lou and George and they found themselves headed towards the niche of upscale menswear. The journey took them through many lines from Levi Strauss and Rough Rider to Derby of San Francisco, Golden Bear Leathers and  Marman.

After 36 years in partnership George retired in 1982. Thomas Malvino, after working in the store since 1969, would become part of a name change, and the current iteration of the store, Louis Thomas, was born.

Lou and Tom Malvino would carry on the tradition through many more iterations of the store, hopskotching around the mall to several locations as the Town Center evolved. In 1999 the store in Petaluma on Kentucky street was opened, only to see it to the ground, and eventually opening gain in 2004.

A few years later, Tom's daughter Brianna would become an invaluable asset as the store propelled itself into the 21st century. She is responsible for orchestrating and laying out our appealing presentation of product in the stores and after developing a keen eye for buying just the right product, she has helped mold the direction of the stores’ future and legacy.

 For over 74 years we have specialized in bringing customers stylish and well made gentleman's apparel. We offer select garments for work, play, and formal occasions. We also supply made-to-measure suits and custom dress shirts built just for you,  along with a wide variety of gentlemanly accessories.

Step inside one of our Louis Thomas stores and there’s a good chance Tom Malvino himself will be there to greet you!

Our knowledgeable staff is happy to help with any questions you may have. Visit our store locations to view our unique stock of goods. We think you'll be surprised how we are keeping the tradition alive!