From Lebanon to selling suits in Saginaw...it's Sal, baby!

In this episode of Sidewalk Talks, Phil visits Sal, a longtime Saginaw tailor known as “Sal Baby,” for his first podcast, reflecting on how Sal helped save Phil’s wedding suit experience after a bad big-box chain encounter and how Sal’s shop treats customers like family. Sal describes running his store for about 38 years, traveling to trade shows, sourcing hard-to-find items through connections, and prioritizing service over money, including flexible pricing and letting people pay later. Born in Lebanon in 1944, Sal came to the U.S. in 1971 and credits his father-in-law’s example of honesty and generosity for his business values. He shares stories about how a well-fitted suit builds confidence and can impact job interviews, discusses raising his five children, and recalls giving a grieving family a suit for their son’s funeral, and repeatedly expresses love for Saginaw and its people.

Timestamps:
00:00 Sal Baby Welcome
00:32 Wedding Suit Rescue
01:25 Family Style Service
02:02 Finding Anything You Need
03:01 Hayati Story Moment
04:13 Shop Origin Story
06:10 Why Suits Matter
06:32 Suit As Investment
08:20 Saginaw Pride
08:58 Lebanon To Michigan
11:17 Lessons From Father In Law
14:04 Being A Great Dad
16:29 Sal Baby Nickname
17:48 Giving Back And Honesty
19:35 Final Thanks And Goodbye

Marlana Cork kicks off Season Three with a Sidewalk Talk about community-building! Be sure to subscribe to Sidewalk Talks and leave a review!

00:00 Season Premiere Banter
01:17 Aging and Dentist Days
02:31 Why Community Matters
03:53 Grandma’s Candy House
07:04 Showing Up When It’s Hard
10:24 Community as Relationship
17:13 Unsung Heroes and Commitment
21:38 Communication Meets Action
23:43 Conflict and Accountability
25:36 Community Accountability
26:15 Beyond Blame Culture
27:15 Keyboard Warrior Warning
28:28 Claim Citizen Power
29:55 Curiosity Over Conflict
31:53 Face To Face Talks
35:34 Conflict As Catalyst
39:15 Committed To Mess
42:11 Arrogance And Fear
45:40 Curiosity Builds Community
47:55 Closing Thanks

A new season of Sidewalk Talks premieres Monday! Watch the video for a sneak preview of all of this season's amazing guests, and then subscribe to Sidewalk Talks and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Two new episodes will go up every week, so subscribe and don't miss an episode!