By Busta Brown
In the heart of the Northside of Winston-Salem, where struggle and hope often intersect, a young Black male designer has emerged as a beacon of transformation. Once caught in the grip of selling drugs, this entrepreneur has left his past behind to stitch together a new narrative, one rooted in resilience, creativity, and community. Today, he is the proud owner of The Northside Clothing, which not only reflects his personal journey but also pays homage to the neighborhood that raised him.
His story is an amazing testament to the power of second chances, the artistry of fashion, and the strength of a community that believes in redemption. “I’m not just making clothes; I’m making statements,” Kamekoleon Walls Jr, says. “Each piece is a reflection of where I come from, the lessons I’ve learned, and the people who helped me along the way.”
The Northside Clothing is now taking pre-orders for one of Kamekoleon’s favorite pieces. “It’s called Northside Worldwide. It’s a top and bottom zip-up set; it’s a sweatsuit with distressed embroidery and 400 GSM, which is the weight of the cotton. It also has flat embroidery and 3D embroidery on it, along with distressed patches that really give it a unique feel. This is a one-of-a-kind design that I personally created, down to every detail. The width of the shoulders, the length of the arms, everything. I really took my time with it. When I posted it, I think people could see that, and we almost sold out the pre-orders, which is crazy!”
He added, “I have a Valentine’s Day jacket! It’s a three-in-one jacket, meaning you get three different styles in one piece. It has embroidery, screen printing, with rhinestones to add a little extra flair. It’s a three-layer jacket, which you don’t see often at all. Can’t wait to share it!”
These are the first of many products to come in nearly three years. “I took a break after my store flooded in 2022. I also needed to get my life together. I stopped smoking weed, I stopped drinking, and I started working out more. I haven’t smoked in over three years now. My focus is God, my family and my business. I went deep into studying the stock market, and that’s how I made the money to fund my rebrand. The money I made from investing went directly into reinventing my brand. It’s been a wild ride, but I feel like everything is coming together now”.
Let’s go back to how it all began. Kamekoleon Walls Jr.’s vision for The Northside Clothing began in the fall of 2017. He said there were a number of reasons that inspired him to start a clothing brand. “I got kicked out of college for drugs, and then I caught another drug charge after college. Then, through the blessings of God, I beat both of my charges with no consequences and was found not guilty. And I just promised myself that since God pulled me through, there was no way I couldn’t repay Him by trying to do the right thing,” he said.
One day Kamekoleon woke up and realized that he wasn’t proud of what he was doing. “I knew why I was doing it, but I still wasn’t proud of it,” he shared with a strong conviction.
I’m from an underserved neighborhood myself and I grew up around Black males who believed hustling in the streets was their only option to provide for their families and friends. So, I understand where Kamekoleon has been and where he is now. Many of the brothas I knew who were hustling had good intentions and a good heart, but they became products of our environment. I often wish they had heard this:
“If what you’re doing isn’t making you proud every day, and deep down you know you’re capable of more, that’s your cue, that it’s time to create another way. If you’re smart enough to sell a product that you’re not allowed to market publicly, just imagine what you could do with a product you can market openly, and the kind of success you could achieve with that,” shared the Northside high school alum.
These words really resonate because they speak to the untapped potential and skill sets that so many people possess but often don’t get the chance to apply in ways that are valued or rewarded.
He left the street life behind and fully committed to his relationship with God and The Northside Clothing. “I told my brother, get in the car with me, I’m about to pick up these t-shirts. He had no idea I was starting a clothing brand. He was shocked!”
After picking up the shirts, things took off. Instead of selling drugs, he was selling t-shirts. The response from the community blew him away. Kamekoleon knew without a doubt that it was God showing up in his life. “People were buying them and buying them. I just thought, Man, I’ve got something here. This could be big.’”
And that’s how The Northside Clothing was born.
He said as a kid growing up in Winston-Salem and seeing Northside everywhere – such as Northside Baptist Church, Northside Shopping Center, North Hills Elementary, North Forsyth High School, Northside Car Wash, Northside Tire Shops – it automatically pulls you in and gives you a sense of being part of something. “When you go to other parts of town, you don’t see the name of the area that much. But on the Northside, it’s everywhere, so you automatically feel a connection to it.”
His family lived in The Colony apartments on Brownsboro Road on the Northside of Winston-Salem. It was there, at the age of six that he began learning how to become an entrepreneur. He taught himself how to make money, manage it, and grow it. So, starting The Northside Clothing was a natural transition for him. “I started doing small things for people in the neighborhood. I didn’t get told to do it; I just did it on my own. I’d take out people’s trash, and they’d tip me, like a dollar or two. I’d save that money up, not spending it.
“Around that time, I also got a mountain bike for Christmas. It looked cool, but I didn’t really like it. So, I’d let the guys in the neighborhood rent it for $10 or $20. I also had this lady who ran a candy store, and she really liked me. We had this kind of loyalty, so she’d give me candy for free. I’d take that candy to school and sell it.
“By the time I was in fifth grade, I had saved up about $1,000 from all those little hustles.”
His God–given ability to grind at such a young age came into play in 2018 when The Northside Clothing began to slow down. He had to take a job at Northside Foot Locker in the Northside Shopping Center, which turned out to be a game-changer. He got an up-close look at how big brands ran their businesses. “Each one of these brands has a clear identity, and they stay true to it, whether they tweak it a little here and there, they always keep the core message intact.
“So, when I created my own logo, it became the turning point in my life. It allowed me to make enough money to quit my job and start my own business in 2020. But then, just as I took that leap of faith, COVID hit. The world was shutting down, and I started to question whether I made the right decision. Was this a huge mistake? I had just left my job, and now the entire world seemed to be in chaos,” he said with a cool smile and chill personality.
But then he was reminded that if God had brought him this far, there had to be a bigger plan. “I knew I couldn’t give up. So, I kept pushing forward. And two months after the pandemic hit, I made $30,000 in one month. That moment proved to me that even in the most uncertain times, perseverance, faith, and belief in yourself can lead to success beyond what you ever imagined.”
The Northside Clothing is about representing the north side, no matter what city you’re from. Whether it’s the north side of Greensboro, Raleigh, Philadelphia, Baton Rouge, or any other place, the message stays the same. “The mission is simple: we want people to instantly recognize our brand and feel connected to it. Our audience is from the north side of their city,” he said.
I asked if they’re not from the north side, some people might look at your brand and feel like it doesn’t represent them. How do you connect with them? “I want people to understand that it’s not just about the literal ‘north side.’ The meaning behind the brand is what’s important. We started this brand to overcome challenges and create new opportunities. It’s all about positivity, pushing through tough situations, and creating a path for yourself that wasn’t handed to you. It’s not about anything negative; it’s about growth and empowerment.”
He continued, “I started this brand because I saw so many people stuck in the same cycle, doing the same things that weren’t leading anywhere. It would’ve been easy to follow in those footsteps, but I knew exactly where that path would take me. Instead, I chose to create my own opportunity, and that’s the mindset I want to share with others. There are no limits when you make your own way, and that’s what this brand represents,” Kamekoleon said with that Northside Pride.
I asked why not make clothes and a logo that represents the East and West side of the cities as well? “The reason is simple. When I sit down to do a design, the love I have for the north side makes it easy for me to create. I have this unwavering connection to the north side, and that love comes through in everything I make. I can’t sit down and create for another part of town with the same feeling. It wouldn’t have the same energy or authenticity. It’s just something I can’t replicate because the north side is where my heart is.”
Where does he see The Northside Clothing in five to ten years from now? “I see us reaching every Northside, in every city in the United States. The best part is we’ve done a lot of this without having any super big-name celebrities.”
I asked Kamekoleon to share one of his most heartwarming memories with a customer. “I think the biggest thing you can do in life is inspire someone. When I had my clothing store in a physical location you could actually pull up to., there was this one kid who came in and as he walked around the store, his eyes were so big, and he touched everything. He was with his mom.
“When they finally came to the counter to check out, his mom said, ‘My son wants to ask you a question.’ I was like, what’s up? and the kid asked, ‘Is this your store?’ I said, yeah, this is my store. Then he asked, ‘Did you make all of this?’ I said everything you’re looking at, from the clock to the signs to everything, I made it myself. And he looked at me and said, ‘Man, bro, I wanna do this.’
“In that moment, watching him, I knew for sure his life was changed. When you see someone who looks like you doing something you never thought was possible, it opens up a whole new world. It was a powerful moment, because sometimes all it takes is seeing someone who’s been where you are to make you believe you can do it too.”.
The Northside Clothing is also deeply committed to giving back to the Winston-Salem community. On Feb. 7 they’re doing Northside Night at his alma mater, Northside High School. Northside Night is senior night for the basketball team. “We renamed it Northside Night because my brand is sponsoring the girls and boys games. We’re going to be giving away a lot of free stuff. This will be our second time doing it; we did it two or three years ago. We’re going to have a blue table set up where people can purchase things if they want to. We’ll also be doing a half-court dollar shot. If you make the shot for a dollar, you can come get something free from the booth, and the school keeps the money. We don’t keep any of the dollars they make. It’s just a fun event to bring the community together, so the parents can come out and support their kids,” said the humble entrepreneur.
2025 promises to be an extremely successful year for the local clothing store. Look out for hats, purses, key chains, sneakers, polo shirts, and more.
The Chronicle’s Business of the Month is The Northside Clothing. To purchase clothing and for more info, visit www.TheNorthsideClothing.com or The Northside Clothing on Facebook and IG.
link