Polako: from the Tumbes market to the Gamarra emporium

Jean Pol Ozeta Lalangui was 18 years old when he traveled to Chile with the same intention as many: to make money to help his family. He wanted to have money to start a business just like his ancestors did.

He was in the southern country for four years. After the first two, he returned to Peru but was unable to launch any business idea.

He returned to Chile and began to frequent places where skateboarding was practiced. There, more than the versatility of said sport, he was struck by the baggy polo shirts, the shorts and high shoes and 'cheeky'.

He returns to the country with a clear idea: to sell clothes. Jean Pol looked for one of his uncles with experience in opening businesses and they got to work.

Polako on the border

The store opened and the business began to sell. However, one day, Jean Pol met a skateboarder. "We don't have anyone to dress us, we buy everything online," this fan of skateboard wheels would tell him.

Decision made. It was the year 2012 and Jean Pol set up the first skater-style clothing stall in the Tumbes market. His stall was the only place in the market that sold Rasta-style clothing or kangaroos and skater shoes.

“Polako Skateshop” began to have its 'pull'. Jean Pol looks at his business today and is surprised by how advanced it is. Who would have thought that his nickname -Polako- arising from his white complexion similar to a native of Poland, and his drive, would lead him to look with projection at his brand and his store.

However, when everything was on track, an eviction in the Tumbes market affected him. Jean Pol had to migrate his position to a smaller location and start over.

Tumbesian brand

Starting over didn't daunt him. At the same time that he revived his store in a smaller location, he decided to organize events for skaters in order to build customer loyalty. At the end of the competitions, Jean Pol rewarded the winners with clothes from his store.

The desire to have her own store came true in 2015. She teamed up with a friend and they bought a large store.

Jean Pol took over half the store, but it was so big that when he brought his merchandise he couldn't fill it. He had the challenge of selling more to buy more merchandise.

He began to look for solutions and, after talking with his brother who worked with clothing workshops, Jean Pol decided to create his own brand: Polako (PLK).

The first batch of PLK clothing was 250 polo shirts with 5 models. The place of production was Lima. A Tumbesian brand was born that, from the first moment, managed to capture the customer's attention.

Today Polako Skateshop, as a way of supporting local talent, sponsors artists from Tumbes.

Expansión

Like thousands of entrepreneurs, Jean Pol had to close his business due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Jean Pol recognizes that delivery does not bring him the same income as before, but this form of marketing allows him to keep the brand in the mind of his customers.

In this line, Polako Skateshop considered expanding the brand with new models conversing its style. Also, opening a new location.

Jean Pol and his brand already have a stand in the Gamarra emporium, in Lima.

«We could say that we are the first urban clothing brand from Tumbes in a market as demanding as Lima. The idea is to sell to all of Peru," said Jean Pol.

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