In today's world, men often find themselves navigating a landscape where the wisdom of past generations is less accessible, and the spaces to openly seek knowledge are rare. At Desmond Society, we've created a unique haven—a men's store and membership-based social club—designed to equip you for every situation, helping you look and feel truly put together.

To me Desmond is a person. A friend and resource. He is Q in the James Bond films, providing Bond with exactly what he needs to complete his mission. He is your favorite uncle, the one who gives the best advice or makes you laugh the hardest. He is that friend who has seen you through the toughest times, and celebrates your wins!

Throughout my life I have accumulated many skills and used them to tackle a variety of projects and obstacles. Many times I did this alone. Alone because I have trust issues. Alone because it's easier to just “get it done” instead of asking for help. Alone because after COVID, I let my world get small. But sometimes all it takes is one text, or one call, to open that world back up. To realize the community of support that surrounds me. In Desmond, we strive to create that community of support organically through the assembly of men with a desire to grow.

I began my adult life as a musician. A drummer. And in this world of music I discovered men have a lot to say and even more that they feel. Music allows an opportunity to communicate emotions without words. No stigma or gender-based societal barrier holding them back. Some of the deepest relationships I have with men, began by playing music together. I carry this knowledge with me in my life and continue to search for other spaces where men can access this emotional permission or freedom to express.

As a younger man, I enjoyed riding and restoring vintage motorcycles. At the time, I was living in an apartment in Silverlake that included a garage in the back where I stored my bike and a growing assortment of tools. I was lucky, as many of my motorcycle friends did not have a space to wrench on their bikes. I also had an espresso machine and loved to drink and share coffee with my friends. These two joys of mine came together when I began hosting “Wrenches and Espresso” on Sundays in my back driveway. Sometimes it would be one friend who simply needed to adjust their brakes. We would chat for hours, while we worked. Other times, it would begin with a few friends and evolve into a full-on cookout, spilling over into the evening. We had common interests that brought us together and a common need to connect.

I began playing jazz in college. I practiced for hours on end. I was hungry to learn more and desperately needed a way to play with other musicians. My school had a couple of jazz ensembles but my sight reading was horrible. I began hunting down the “coolest” players I could find. I wanted to start my own quintet, just like Miles Davis. One by one I found them. Kevin on trumpet, Matt on tenor saxophone, Dave on piano and Bob on bass. We were the underdogs, the jazz misfits. We practiced relentlessly, memorizing as many tunes as we could. Our set was made up of a diverse reflection of our influences, consisting of everything from jazz standards to D’Angelo. We began playing gigs at a local restaurant bar in our tiny college town. In the beginning our audience consisted of a few friends and our girlfriends. But soon we had lines around the block for our shows. We broke attendance records. Our audience was as diverse as our set list. Everyone was coming to hear five young guys push past what they knew, what they had studied, into a new place of discovery. And everyone in that audience joined us on that journey.

This is the energy that Desmond is founded on.

— Thomas Greene, Founder