BALTIMORE — After serving his country for more than two decades, Air Force Franklin Samuels has found a new way to serve—in style.
WATCH: Veteran’s Downtown Baltimore shop delivers confidence in every Suit
Samuels is the proud creator of The Gentlemen’s Closet, a veteran-owned formalwear shop in downtown Baltimore with more than 450 tuxedos and suits. But the shop is more than just a business—it's the next chapter of a life built on discipline, leadership, and purpose.
“I served in the United States Air Force for 21 years and 10 months,” Samuels said. “I got the pleasure to travel all across the world.”
Originally from Panama, Samuels immigrated to the U.S., served nearly 22 years as an information manager, and retired in 2018. His impressive military career includes six years with the White House Communications Agency and five years aboard Air Force One.
“I was the top of only one percent of the military force to serve at that capacity,” he said. “So that’s literally the best of the best because you are literally working with the President of the United States.”
Samuels served under President George W. Bush and the entire two terms of President Barack Obama.
Now, his mission looks different—but it’s no less meaningful. “A lot of things that I actually got from my military background, I translate those into The Gentlemen’s Closet,” he said.
The shop, named after his son Liam Michael, offers everything from prom fits to wedding tuxedos. For Samuels, it’s about helping others look and feel their best—especially for moments that matter.
“There’s not a better feeling than having a customer who’s about to get married or about to go to prom and then creating something for them that’s going to be timeless,” he said. “I might not be alive, but that picture is going to be in somebody’s living room for the next 10, 15, 20 years.”
His passion for fashion runs deep. “As a young man, thanks to my mother and brother, they always taught me that clothes can define an individual. I was wearing ballet shoes when I was 12 years old,” Samuels recalled. “It’s been engraved in my DNA that you can tell a whole lot about a man or a woman by the clothes he wears.”
But the path to entrepreneurship wasn’t easy. After retiring, he was unsure of what was next.
“I literally retired, didn’t know exactly what was going to happen,” he said. “I’m in this empty new store putting the whole store together by myself, and I almost had a nervous breakdown. And then I said, Am I doing the right thing? I don’t have a job. I don’t know if this is gonna actually sustain.”
What happened next gave him clarity—and confidence. “My old boss—Colonel Black, who used to be the commander of the White House Communications Agency—surprised me at my grand opening,” he said. “And I had about 25 of my colleagues, brothers and sisters in arms, come into the store and fully support me. So going back to me as a veteran, that really inspired me.”
He says The Gentlemen’s Closet is more than a job—it’s a calling. “This is not just a job. I’m now improving people’s lives,” he said. “This is an extension of who I am. I think 21 years wearing one set of uniform—now I’m on my second stage, and I’m wearing a different kind of uniform.”
Samuels says the values instilled in him by the military—commitment, follow-through, and attention to detail—are what drive the business today.
“You’re working with a veteran who understands exactly what hard work and dedication means,” he said. “And is passionate about it. Who’s going to follow through to make sure whatever you’re trying to get at The Gentlemen’s Closet is going to be complete?”
That dedication also means staying grounded through challenges. “About a month ago during the tariffs here in Baltimore, there’s a lot of local issues that we were dealing with,” he said. “But as long as I can keep my doors open, as long as I can continue to serve my community, that’s what matters most.”
He’s also passionate about encouraging other veterans to explore entrepreneurship.
“You are equipped with the right tools if you did four years—or 21 years—to lead people,” he said. “We need a lot more veterans who are passionate about [something] to bring that. Because we need more veterans to be a part of the community.”
His advice? “Just go ahead and do it. What are you gonna lose?” he said. “In my opinion, you have more to gain than lose than just not doing it.”
For Samuels, purpose is everything.
“If you get up in the morning and you really don’t have a purpose—coming to The Gentlemen’s Closet, you’ll have one,” he said. “I get happy when I see those pictures from those brand-new weddings or those kids who go to prom. That incentivizes me. That motivates me to work harder.”
And for the Air Force veteran turned small business owner, it’s all part of living the American dream.
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