Carter Beauford's busy season began April 7 ...

[sydneyDMBfan]

I've read an interview with Butch where he said he was paid $80 a gig with Secrets. This must have been Carter's day job pre-DMB taking off.

High school prom season in full swing
The Richmond Times-Dispatch
25 April 1990
SUSAN HANKINS Staff writer

Carter Beauford's busy season began April 7.

That Saturday evening, two area high schools held proms. Beauford, who is warehouse manager for The Groom's Corner, a men's formal wear rental chain, supervised the work needed to get tuxedos and morning coats ready to be rented and worn.

Patrick Henry High School in Hanover County and Thomas Dale High School in Chester held their proms that night.

The Groom's Corner has 10 stores throughout the area, but all formal wear is cleaned and stocked in the Chesterfield warehouse on Granite Spring Road, near Cloverleaf Mall. About 2,000 tuxedos and tail coats with trousers are usually stocked in the warehouse.

But for the rest of April and May, "this place is going to be completely empty," Beauford said.

The company's warehouse has been in Chesterfield only since last spring, Beauford said. Before that, formal wear was stored at the Carytown store in Richmond.

The business crunch won't end until July, Beauford said, because June is a favorite month for weddings.

In Chesterfield County, prom season peaks over the next three weekends. Lloyd C. Bird High School's prom is Friday; Manchester's is the next night; Matoaca High School holds its prom May 4. Meadowbrook and Clover Hill have their proms May 11. Monacan's is the next night. Midlothian's prom is May 19, and Huguenot High School in South Richmond has its prom May 25.

Trinity Episcopal School's prom is also this Saturday night.

Beauford has marked many of the prom nights on a calendar in the warehouse office.

"It's a busy time of the year," said Tom Depcrynski, owner of The Groom's Corner. "It's the prom season."

His preparations for the rash of proms include making sure the company has an ample number of tail coats and a color spectrum of cummerbunds and matching bow ties.

The Groom's Corner has 30 colors of cummerbunds and ties in stock.

"The most popular one is this candy color," Beauford said, pointing to a raspberry-colored cummerbund.

Other people might call it hot pink or fuchsia, but at The Groom's Corner, it's referred to as "candy."

Hanging from hooks on a large pegboard in the center of the warehouse were several hundred cummerbunds. Six shades of blue cummerbunds are stocked, from the lightest ice blue to a peacock blue and royal blue, which is another popular color for high-schoolers, Beauford said.

Besides basic black, three shades of green and at least twice as many shades of red cummerbunds are available. The reds range from deep burgundies to pink. Four purple colors, peach colors, gold lame and silver lame cummerbunds can be rented, too.

Elsewhere in the warehouse, white, gray and black formal jackets hung from poles. Below them were matching trousers.

The clothing rents for $52.95 to $79.95. Shoes are an additional $12.95.

Students "normally reserve their tuxedo two to three weeks in advance of the prom," Depcrynski said. "The sooner you come in and reserve your suit, the more likely you are to get exactly what you want."

A Groom's Corner store is part of the warehouse operation. Beauford says he enjoys helping high school students pick out their clothes -- up to a point.

"It's fun in the beginning, but after a while there gets to be 30 kids in here," he said. "It's crazy. It's just real chaotic."

Some of the teen-agers take their girlfriends with them to the shop, some go with their parents and others go by themselves, Beauford said ....

[dancheatham]

Weird seeing all of the high schools in my county listed in an article somewhat related to DMB

[SpencerDS]

For some reason I thought Carter was a teacher beforehand, was that another member of the band, or am I a fool?

[daveMathews48]

This is really weird, but thank you for sharing! I can't imagine running into Carter at a tux store and him helping me pick one out.. haha

[goodneighbor]

this is insanely awesome.

[jas230314]

this is one of the most epic threads... ever

[~Crashintome89~]

I would love to have Carter fit a tux for me. I'd look so sexy. But not as much as he is.

[hmich176]

Great article! I love it!

[Jcourt41]

...awesome

[cswright]

Sweet I can totally picture it

[davidw.]

That is amazing!

[VanHorneDog]

so have companies not raised prices on tuxes since 1990? i remember getting my Tux for senior prom for like 60 bucks.

[cackyh2]

Originally Posted by SpencerDS

For some reason I thought Carter was a teacher beforehand, was that another member of the band, or am I a fool?

i'm pretty sure that was butch?

[Bostonsux013]

wow this was written a month before i was born. And even then carter was probably stefans age. He is one ancient drummer dude.

[kfpoling]

Originally Posted by SpencerDS

For some reason I thought Carter was a teacher beforehand, was that another member of the band, or am I a fool?

Originally Posted by cackyh2

i'm pretty sure that was butch?

Carter was a teacher for twelve years beforehand

[soccaplaya]

Haha interesting, and i know all the schools

[41 Step]

Interesting read.

[n3wyears]

Crater worked in tehzz warehouzzes!!!

[derelict49]

That is a great find. i can't believe i never knew about this. sweeeeet