If you’ve spend any amount of time in an African American community, then you are familiar with the phenomenon of the Sunday suit. It’s analog in Black women’s clothing is the Sunday hat. But there are those older gentlemen — mostly in their 60s and older — who wear a Sunday suit every day of the week. In Oakland, one of the places where these style-conscious gentlemen gather is at the  Merritt Restaurant and Bakery near Lake Merritt. On any given day you can find some of the most stylish older brothers you’ll ever want to see, dressed in some of the most wonderful suits — both vintage and contemporary — along with matching shoes, hats, and ties. I don’t get to Merritt Restaurant as often as I used to, but when I do get a chance to stop in, I always find these sharply-dressed men an inspiration. I can only hope that one day, in 30 or 40 years, I will have both their presence of mind and their sense of style.

8-Rock