“El guatemalteco es algo que siempre llevamos por dentro.”

Tailorshop owner Juan López said these words with a quiet certainty — “being Guatemalan is something we carry with us, always.” Around him, his words take shape in the textures and sounds that make up EDT Tailor and Sons. From the colorful spools of yarn along the shelves to the laughter of his employees as they trace cloth with practiced hands — the hum of their sewing machines mixing with the traditional merengue music playing from a well-loved speaker. Each detail weaves together, a harmony of heritage and craft found in every stitch and seam.

“My parents were campesinos [rural farmworkers] in Guatemala,” Juan said. “They lived in Totonicapán San Francisco El Alto, a region that to this day is called the Plaza Mayor de Centro America [The Major Plaza of Central America] because of its rich textile production. My father taught himself how to sew clothing, and from there we all learned, not necessarily because we wanted to, but because it was what was done at home.”

He described how, as a child, his parents would hoist him and his siblings up onto large treadle sewing machines and teach them sewing patterns — even when they were too small to reach the pedals. Once certain of their skillset, the López family immigrated to the United States, and after a few stops in California and Texas, finally settled in the Bryan-College Station area in 1995.

“We originally came to Texas because we were told things were more economical here,” Juan said. “But we quickly realized that was not the case. Although it was difficult for many years, we now realize that … everything we went through was part of a greater, divine plan, something that went beyond us.”

Juan and his wife, Antonía Hernandez, mentioned the tailor shop’s deep connection to Aggieland, as many of their children graduated from Texas A&M. Likewise, EDT Tailor and Sons continues to provide services to student organizations on campus, including the Singing Cadets, Orchestra Club and Aggie baseball and golf teams.

“Our work is held to the highest standard, but more than that, we have excellent customer service,” Juan said. “We provide our customers with the highest quality with a quick-turnaround time. We have a deep knowledge of the textiles and clothes we work with, and our greatest honor is seeing our customers highlight our work within their professions.”

One of Juan and Antonía’s nine children, Tom, helps them manage the shop, as he takes clothing measurements, pins dresses and determines suit lengths. With an easy smile, he spoke of his upbringing and the shop’s history, as they first began altering out of their apartment in 2007 before slowly expanding into their current shop on Holleman Drive.

“We started the shop when I was just a kid,” Tom said. “We would come here and play around as our parents worked. … My parents started their business in Guatemala from scratch, and then did the same thing here in the United States. It took a lot of dedication, but we’re happy with our current location and parking, as it encourages more customers to stop by.”

Although Juan’s father, Gustavo López, died in July 2024, Juan’s 84-year-old mother — María Garcia Paxtor — continues to oversee the shop’s operations. She said one of her greatest joys is seeing what began as crafting for survival, grow into a flourishing business. Continuing to dress in the typical indigenous clothing of the Mayan communities found in Guatemala, María is surrounded by four generations of her family, entertaining her great-grandson, Ángel Gustavo, as her children and grandchildren bustle and work around her.

“When we began, my husband and I learned how to sew shirts, pants and jackets to survive,” María said in K’iche’, an Indigenous language common among the Mayan people. “But today, my whole family sews all types of clothing, both here and back home in Guatemala, and I could not be prouder. It is something good, very good, and although very different from when I began sewing, our craft lives on in my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

Besides the company’s rich family roots, EDT Tailor and Sons employs additional skilled workers, including Margarita, who has worked at their tailor shop for over 15 years. Originally from Acapulco, Mexico, Margarita graduated with a bachelors in business administration before moving to the United States in 2004, when she began working for the López family.

“The shop has changed a lot over the years,” Margarita said. “It’s grown a lot, both in terms of clientele and service. It is a very healthy working environment, we work in harmony here, and we look out for one another. We can always ask for flexible working hours when it comes to watching our children or collecting them early from school. Everyone here has a lot of experience, and they are very professional.”

Similarly, Rosa, who recently joined the team, spoke of the varied opportunities at the shop, as team members are given the chance to work on a variety of stitches and garments using different presser feet.

“Having the chance to put my tailoring skills to work anywhere is nice,” Rosa says, her expert hands carefully altering the pants underneath her sewing machine. “But having the chance to tailor at this establishment is more than nice, it’s wonderful.”

According to Tom, many of their customers don’t realize the heritage sewn into each seam of their clothing, as the tailors represent their cultural roots through their work. He mentioned Flor — an American citizen originally from Semnan, Iran — who currently works at EDT Tailor as a specialized alterationist.

“When I immigrated to the United States, it was a new experience, but the people were very kind, very polite and very respectful,” Flor said. “I started tailoring in Iran, and I love continuing to apply my skills here. It’s one of the few things that stayed the same when I moved. I love determining which alternation is faster, easier or better for the clothing I am working on.”

Flor’s son recently graduated from A&M, and after seven years her family continues to enjoy living in Bryan. She spoke with enthusiasm about her time working at EDT Tailor and Sons, mentioning her great respect for her managers as both bosses and a part of her family.

“The people of Bryan need our alterations,” Flor said. “It is our honor to provide our services and provide them to the highest quality. The environment here is very welcoming, and the owner is very kind.”

Reflecting on both their past and future, the López family expressed immense gratitude for the opportunities and ongoing hard work that brought them to where they are today. Continuing to carry Gustavo and María’s legacy with them, the family looks forward to continuing to serve the Bryan-College Station community through their expert craftsmanship.

“Because of our upbringing in Guatemala, we bring a unique type of knowledge to our practice,” Juan said, showing off various types of presser feet. “We know the skills and changes necessary for every type of stitch, for every type of material, for every type of textile. Anyone who comes to our shop will walk out feeling successful and like their best self. I can promise you that.”