John S. Airasian’s legacy lives far beyond the walls of Eastern Clothing. It lives in the customers he remembered by name, the employees and neighbors he quietly helped, the community projects he championed and the family values he passed down to future generations. For many people in Watertown, he was someone who showed up, spoke up and genuinely cared.
This Father’s Day, we sat down with his son, John Airasian, to reflect on the man behind the store: a father, mentor, community leader and someone who believed deeply in showing up for others.
What follows is a conversation about legacy, family, hard work and the kind of impact that stays with people long after they’re gone.
When you think about your father, what comes to mind first?
“My father loved being in the middle of the action. He always had his hands in something. He was deeply involved in the community and cared tremendously about Watertown.
When my grandfather passed away suddenly, my father was in law school at Suffolk. He dropped out to continue the family business. I think he realized what my grandfather had built and what he could continue building.
He believed strongly in being involved in your community. He worked with a team of dedicated and passionate residents to change the form of government in Watertown, served on the school committee and was involved in countless local projects. He wasn’t afraid to speak up, whether his opinion was popular or not.
He made a lot of friends along the way, probably some enemies too, but he was always respectful and always respected. He could make you feel comfortable within 30 seconds of meeting him. That was a gift. He was tough, honest, fair and incredibly caring.”
What kind of impact did he leave on Watertown?
“One of the biggest things was the redevelopment of the Watertown Arsenal. My father was chairman of the Arsenal Reuse Commission when the property transitioned from a seemingly forgotten federal site into what it is today.
One of the many benefits that came out of that was the Mosesian Center for the Arts. My father wasn’t an arts guy at all, but he understood what something like that could mean for the community. He knew it would celebrate the diversity and culture of Watertown and bring people together.
He spent countless hours on it: meetings, fundraising, phone calls, planning. It took time away from work and family, but he believed it mattered.
The redevelopment changed Watertown. It brought businesses, housing and investment into the town. It gave the City the means to fund new schools, public safety buildings, parks and so much more. He really saw the potential in Watertown before a lot of people did.”
What was it like watching your father grow Eastern Clothing into what it became?
“I grew up around it. My father was always dragging us somewhere — political events, Rotary dinners, campaign events, leafleting for candidates. He was constantly networking, meeting as many people as he could. We were always in it with him.
At the time, as kids, it wasn’t always exciting. But looking back, you realize how much you were learning just by watching him in action. I remember the worst part was trying to leave any of those events, because my brothers and I knew it would be at least another 30 minutes before we could get out the door. It seemed like everyone wanted to talk or say hello to my father, and I never saw him deny anyone who wanted to talk to him.
Over the years, going through old files, newspaper clippings and old photographs, I started to understand the scale of what he built. There wasn’t one big moment where it all clicked. It happened little by little.
Eastern Clothing was already established by my grandfather, but my father really expanded it. Back then, most customers were local. He had a vision for growing beyond Watertown and bringing Eastern Clothing to a much bigger audience.”
Was there anything about his work that people may not realize?
“He was actually a huge risk taker with great instincts.
He was one of the first people to advertise on cable television when cable first came out. At the time, people thought he was crazy for spending money on it, but it worked. That advertising helped expand Eastern Clothing far beyond Watertown.
Then he had another idea that really changed everything. Back in the early 1970s, he became friendly with some Bruins players. During games, they used to give away things like golf cleats and Timex watches between periods. One of the players told my father, ‘By the end of the season we’ve got nine watches and twelve pairs of golf cleats.’
My father said, ‘What if I gave you gift certificates to Eastern Clothing instead?’
The players loved the idea.
That turned into Bruins players coming into the store, which turned into athletes wanting athletic-cut suits, which eventually turned into us carrying extra-long sizing because the basketball players started coming in too.
The Bruins were the hottest thing in Boston at the time. The business doubled the next year. Then they won the Stanley Cup and it tripled after that. It all came from his instincts and his willingness to take chances before other people saw the opportunity.”
What kind of presence did he have inside the store?
“He had total command. He knew every suit sold, the size and when it was supposed to be ready. With all the other initiatives he was involved in, he always seemed to have control over the shop.
Thirty years ago, before everyone carried phones around, he walked around with a little voice recorder. If he had an idea or someone called him, he’d record a note to himself and go through it all later back at the office.
His mind was always moving.
But at the same time, when a customer walked in, he made them feel like they were the most important person in the room. He always made them feel at ease immediately. I think they felt like they were his friend because that’s how he treated them. It was how he wanted them to feel when they were in the shop.
He had a remarkable ability to remember people’s names, like every person he ever met. It was a trait that a lot of people still comment on when talking about him today.
Men don’t really like shopping. They want to go somewhere where they feel comfortable and where they trust the person helping them. That’s what he created here and that’s what we still try to continue today.”
What was he like outside of work?
“He loved Gloucester. We had a modest cottage up there and he loved being by the water, fishing and spending time with family.
He also loved taking trips with my mother to Naples, Florida. And every year, once I turned 21, he would take my brothers and me to Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend. Just the four of us.
He looked forward to that every year. I remember him researching flights months in advance because he was so excited about it.”
Was there a side of him people may not have immediately seen?
“When he became a grandfather, I saw a different side of him. Growing up, he was tough. But with the grandkids, he was incredibly gentle and attentive.
He had a great sense of humor and just lit up around them. Seeing that softer side of him was something I didn’t fully appreciate until later.”
What was it like working alongside your father?
“He was demanding, no question about it. But we had a good working relationship.
Early on, he told me to watch him, watch Anna and watch my uncle Paul. He wanted me to listen and learn how they interacted with customers.
He pushed me where I needed pushing. He knew what I was good at and what I needed to improve. Sometimes we disagreed, but we both knew when to let things go and move forward.
Not everyone can work with family, but we both wanted similar things for the business and because of that, we always found a way to make it work.”
What was his personal style like?
“Definitely a white shirt. Ninety-eight percent of the time he wore a white shirt.
He loved blue suits. Navy was his color. During the summer he’d occasionally wear lighter tans or grays, but most of the time he was in a dark blue suit with a colorful tie.
He wasn’t flashy, but he was always incredibly put together. The tailoring was always right. The last several years, he enjoyed colorful sport coats. He really got into the uniqueness of dressing up in a colorful blazer.
I remember one time early on when I was working here, I bought a gray suit. I walked in wearing it and before I even got to my desk he said, ‘You should never wear a gray suit again.’ I asked him why and he said, ‘Because it doesn’t look good on you.’ That was him. Honest, direct and usually right.”
How did he define good work?
“He was the hardest worker I’ve ever seen.
And not just in the business. He was involved in so many things outside of work too, but if he said he was going to do something, he did it.
To him, good work meant being honest, working hard and making sure the customer was satisfied.
He expected a lot from people, but he expected just as much from himself. He absolutely led by example.
The biggest thing was honesty.
He always told me, ‘Just be honest with the customer. If you can do what they want, do it. If you can’t, tell them and guide them in another direction.’
That stuck with me. When you’re younger, you want to say yes to everything, but over time I realized that honesty builds trust. That lesson made me a better salesperson and probably a better person too.”
What do you hope people remember most about him?
“That he cared deeply about things and acted on it.
A lot of people complain about problems. My father tried to fix them.
He made a difference in the business, in the community and in people’s lives. There were things nobody else wanted to touch and he took them on because he believed they mattered.
After he passed, I was going through his office and found an entire file drawer filled with resumes from people asking him for help finding jobs or making connections. Hundreds of them.
He never talked about it. He just quietly helped people whenever he could. He didn’t care whether doing the right thing helped the business or not. If he believed something was right, he acted on it. That was just who he was.”
What does Father’s Day mean to you this year?
“It’s bittersweet.
All the holidays since November have been different, for sure. There are moments where it suddenly hits you that he’s not there anymore and it sucks.
But for me now, Father’s Day is about trying to instill in my kids the same values he instilled in me. I want them to grow up strong, honest and proud of who they are.
I wish he could see certain things happening now. The business is doing well and growing, we’re expanding and there are moments where I wish I could share that with him.
But at the same time, I know he taught me how to do those things. That’s comforting.”
If you could sit down with him today, what would you want to say?
“I’d probably tell him how lucky I am to be his son.
When you’re younger, you don’t fully realize why your parents work so hard or why they push you the way they do. Looking back now, I understand it all a lot more.
I was lucky to work beside him all those years. Not everyone gets a father like that and I don’t take it for granted.
It was a blessing to have someone like him leading me and teaching me through life.”
Rest in peace, John S. Airasian (October 21, 1943 – November 5, 2025).
In honor of his lasting impact on the Watertown community, donations may be made to the Mosesian Center for the Arts.