Ep 42: Fifty Years of Denim at Over the Rainbow with Joel and Daniel Carman

In 1975, Joel Carman opened Over the Rainbow with $2,000, a love of jeans, and no idea what he was doing. Fifty years later, Joel and his family run one of the longest-standing independent denim retailers in North America.

Andrew sits down with Joel and Daniel to talk about what it takes to survive five decades in retail—from the early days when Joel was making $15 a day and driving a cab at night, to the decision to go premium in 2000, and how the internet became their best marketing tool without killing the store.

Joel explains why venture capital is a bigger threat to denim than athleisure, why integrity matters more than cashing in, and what it means to stay a student of your industry even after 50 years. Daniel shares how they’ve stayed relevant by evolving every decade, hiring people smarter than them, and treating the business like it’s never just a job.

They also talk about fitting Sylvester Stallone, why European brands often fail in North America, and the jeans they actually wear.

A conversation about legacy, family, and what happens when you love what you do more than the money it makes.

Joel Carman
Founder, Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow, Instagram

Daniel Carman
Partner, Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow, Instagram

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