Kerms named in honor of Kyle Louzada

RANDOLPH – Three friends create a heirloom for their late friend Kyle Louzada at California-style clothing and sneakers store, Kerms.

Louzada, 16, died in 2012 in a shooting inside his Randolph home. No suspect was arrested or charged and the cause of death was deemed undetermined by the medical examiner.

The store is a way to bring positivity to a tragic situation and let its name endure forever. Co-owners Jide Disu, 34, Xavier Pena Diaz, 29, and Jason Toussaint, 30, opened Kerms in January 2021.

“Without Kyle, there are no Kerms. I hope he sees the impact he’s had on so many lives,” said Pena Diaz.

The clothing store, named after Louzada’s nickname “Kerms,” ​​located at 69 N Main St., Randolph, is the only one of its kind in town, Toussaint said.

“Every corner of the store is like an art gallery. We’ve taken our time perfecting the designs. We love and encourage customers to come and take photos and videos. They do it all the time,” Toussaint said.

The trio wanted the store to have an open floor plan and exotic designs similar to West Coast clothing stores.

“Our brand gives our customers an energy of well-being. When you put it on, you feel good,” said Pena Diaz.

After traveling to different states, visiting other stores, and sitting with an architect for months, their designs came to life.

“Kerms was a dream we’ve had for a long time, and it was just the right time. We’ve been branding Stadium longer than we’ve been doing Kerms,” said Pena Diaz.

Stadium began in 2013 as a way for the three co-owners to express their artistic vision through clothing. Stadium was their first clothing concept and Kerms is the sister brand.

The logo and the name have several meanings. On Stadium T-shirts, their logo is a star with a mousetrap stuck to the star’s hand.

It symbolizes a trapped star (the client) stuck in their situation, but it also means that everyone is destined to shine bright and be a star no matter what issues are holding them back.

The stadium written in bold letters on each t-shirt symbolizes a real stadium where fans watch matches or concerts without a ceiling. The concept behind this is that the sky is the limit.

The clothing store offers a variety of clothing and other items, from tracksuits and hats to ashtrays, phone cases and pillows.

Additionally, they sell popular streetwear brands like Supreme, Bape, Essential, Warren Lotus, Chrome Hearts, Anti-Social, and Stone Island.

“We love the flying stuff. We only want to bring the most flying clothes and sneakers to the masses. It’s our way of life,” said Pena Diaz.

One of the important steps in having a successful brand is marketing, which came easily to the trio. First, they developed Stadium shirt samples and styled them with different trendy sneakers, like Jordan 1, Nike Dunks, and Yeezies.

“We styled our clothes and showed people how to wear them,” said Pena Diaz.

Residents of Randolph and surrounding towns wondered what the stadium was like, and popularity increased through word of mouth and social media. The support from the community has been overwhelming, said Disu.

What sets Stadium apart from other clothing brands is the quality of the material, and each piece is individually cut, hand-sewn and made in California, Disu said.

“We pay attention to every detail,” he said.

Running a store has its daily challenges, Toussaint said, but it’s nothing they can’t manage as a team.

One of the team’s biggest challenges has been finding a location due to their past, said Pena Diaz.

“Responsibility comes with growth. We are not ashamed of who we are or ashamed to admit that we weren’t the best people growing up,” said Pena Diaz.

As young adults their reputation in the town of Randolph wasn’t the best, but the pandemic gave them the boost they needed to secure a location.

As many Massachusetts businesses were shutting down, building owners were losing customers and one decided to take a chance with them, Disu said.

Since opening in January, the business has been booming and the owners someday plan to expand their business to a global brand in memory of Louzada.

“We have a lot of things planned for the community, sponsor jerseys, host tournaments in the summer and everything to help.” Pena Diaz said. “It’s not about money. It’s about giving back and providing a place where children feel safe and comfortable.”

The group is currently raffling $ 1,000 in store credit to two lucky winners on their Instagram page as a way to give back.

“The store leaves a legacy and shows kids how to find their creative passion,” said Spencer Cabral, 26, Stadium’s sneaker ambassador.

“We are teaching the children in our community that you can prepare for your vision. You don’t have to go to college to be successful. There are other viable options,” Cabral said.

To keep up with the latest news, visit stadiumofficial.com.

Store opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.