Levi Store opening doubles as a presidential homecoming

Levi Strauss head-honcho James Curleigh has his company's jeans in Halifax, and Halifax in his genes.

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Levi Store opening doubles as a presidential homecoming

Noah Widmeyer

Levi Strauss president James "JC" Curleigh at the opening of the Halifax Levi Store, a stone's throw from the church where he got married.

Not only did the president of denim dealers Levi Strauss & Co. come to town for the jean store’s grand opening celebration, but that president is from Halifax.

For James Curleigh, better known as JC, helping open a store in his hometown is pretty spectacular.

"I've been on a world journey, and I never thought I'd get to come back to where it all started and open a store," says the corporate president.

Halifax-born and a Saint Mary’s University alumni, JC got his start in retail at Aerobics First on Quinpool Road in the ’80s with his brother. Working at the athletic boutique, his job included tasks like setting up displays and doing sales, which actually sounds pretty applicable to getting a new Levi Store up and running.

Now based out of San Francisco, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

“Once people found out I was from here, there became an urgency to open a store," he says.

Watch the following video for an extended interview.