Watson's Youth Hoodie / Sweatshirt
Wrap young fans in the story of Watson's, a Knoxville department store company founded in 1907 and remembered across many Southeastern communities. Ira A. Watson Co. expanded from downtown stores into shopping centers and malls, reflecting the way regional retail changed over generations. This youth hoodie or sweatshirt design connects family memories with a distinctive local brand history. It suits children of former shoppers, young collectors, and families who enjoy sharing the stories behind American retail landmarks.
Ira A. Watson Co., commonly known as Watson's, was a department store chain based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1907, it expanded from one Knoxville operation into a regional network serving county-seat towns across the Southeast. The company first developed downtown stores and later opened substantially larger locations in shopping centers and malls. Its operations extended into Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. Merchandise for the stores was purchased and distributed through a centralized warehouse at the Knoxville corporate offices. Watson's experienced financial difficulty in the late 1980s and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 1992 after it could not renew bank financing. At filing, it operated 31 stores in nine states. Profitability improved, and the company emerged from Chapter 11 in about half the expected six-year period, but it did not fully recover. Peebles purchased Watson's for $4.45 million in a transaction completed June 29, 1998, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. In 1999, all Watson's stores were converted to Peebles. Peebles was purchased by Specialty Retailers in 2003 and is now part of the Gordman's chain.
| S | M | L | XL | |
| Width, in | 16.93 | 18.11 | 18.90 | 20.08 |
| Length, in | 21.26 | 22.44 | 24.02 | 25.59 |
| Sleeve length (from center back), in | 26.50 | 27.76 | 30.24 | 32.99 |
| Size tolerance, in | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Product features
- 50/50 cotton-poly midweight fleece (8 oz/yd²) — durable, smooth fabric for lasting prints
- Twill necktape and sewn-in label for added comfort and stability
- Kangaroo pouch pocket for warmth and convenient storage
- Embroidery available on left or center chest; DTF wrist prints with DTG body printing
- Meets children’s safety and compliance standards; runs true to size
Care instructions
- Machine wash: warm (max 40C or 105F)
- Bleach as needed
- Tumble dry: medium heat
- Do not dry clean
- Do not iron
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Gildan 18500B, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Warnings, Hazard: For children, Made in Honduras
Care instructions: Machine wash: warm (max 40C or 105F), Bleach as needed, Tumble dry: medium heat, Do not iron, Do not dry clean