And now, a conversation about a guy that back in the day in Baltimore, struggled, scraped and faked his way through school, fought at the drop of a hat, and found himself on the opposite side of legal more than a few times. He was far and away the least likely to succeed. But succeed he did.
Leonard "Boogie" Weinglass was a charmer, a delinquent, a star athlete, a gambler, a partier and a patron. He was a Diner guy, immortalized in Barry Levinson’s classic movie. He was a salesman with a knack for fashion and food who became one of the most successful and transformative figures in American retail.
He founded the Merry Go Round chain of clothing stores, which grew to include 1,500 stores and 15,000 employees. He transformed the fashion industry. And he has lived one of the wildest lives you can imagine.
Tom's guest is Michael Olesker. He has written a terrific book about Boogie Weinglass. It’s called Boogie: Life on a Merry-Go-Round.
Mike will be talking about it at The Ivy Bookshop tonight and Boogie Weinglass, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, will be there to join in the conversation. Follow the link for event details.
Mike Olesker joins us now on the phone...
