Best of AID 2017: 542 - Seasons Of The Snake No.005 - Spring 2017 with Ben Neuhaus Owner/Proprietor of SnakeOilProvisions.com

Featuring an all new introduction with Mark and David breaking down how this episode rose through the ranks to be one of the Best from 2017 (so far).

Spring is in the air and new beginnings are everywhere, including Snake Oil Provisions. Ben and Miranda have once again curated their store to keep you looking good and feeling good in the quality goods they stock. Ben and Mark debunk tee skirts, Skate Bettys, and the social media jerk offs who are dragging men's fashion through the mud with their endless quest for double taps. The phone lines open as well for some questions to get answered by the Cincinnati Sensation covering everything from selvage denim to budgeting for Snake Oil Provisions. In a bold move, we are offering this episode in it's entirety since the intended Circle Of Trust Content about city ordinances and SOP's recent legal debacle was too important to keep behind the pay wall. Enjoy this full episode filled with fashion, faux pas, and the fun only Ben can bring to your earholes.

Talking Points

• The perfect leather jacket, a fool's errand, and getting past feeling like you're in a costume.
• But can you pull it off?
• Rogue territory makes a power move in the world of denim. 
• Ounces of denim on a season to season basis. 
• Starchiness, dry cleaning, and blouse stacking. 
• Earl's Apparel debuts at Snake Oil with a price point that can't be beat. 
• Customization on the horizon?
• Big and tall brands available from the Snake and personally requesting sizes from Ben.
• Taking care of high end denim blouses. 
• Waiting for your Skate Betty to wear that Thrasher shirt. 
• Posers abound.
• Transcending social media metrics and people that are letting the content curate them. 
• What to do with hook ups.
• The keys to finding good denim and salvaging selvage. 
• Snake Oil on a budget and budgeting for Snake Oil. 
• The ethics behind buying cheap clothes. 
• Ditching fedoras, checking out of planet earth, and tee skirts. 
• Miranda steps in to lend an answer towards the quest for the perfect fitting women's tee.
• Drug busts that open doors... literally.
• Dream spots, bully tactics, and laughable offers.
• Lawyering up to end harassment.
• Bittersweet resolutions with acceptable financial terms.
• Armed guards, the smell of the sticky icky, and city ordinances written behind closed doors.
• Tiny victories and locations that literally fell out of the sky.
• The right thing to do versus the best thing to do. 
• Educating yourself on zoning laws, city council members, and what you should handle by yourself.
• Big business and the karma that we all hopes will come around.

In this Season Ben breaks down how the Long Beach Patron Saints of Men's Fashion handled growing from their first spot into their second and maintaining their forward momentum. If they only knew the fun in store for them just a few months away.

David Stowe looked at the lack of fashionable wrist pieces and stepped into the market as Vannen Watches. Combining his love for art and wrist watches David set a whole new standard in a complacent industry that was missing what their engaged fanbase wanted.

Running a store can be beyond difficult. The almighty Dan Stiles shares with us some of the lumps he took after keeping a pop up holiday shop open in Portland. Get some insider strategies about balance, finances, and handling all that walk by traffic.