Winter Garden resident creates joy through "Awesome Pants" business

Some people find joy in family. Others find it in a hobby or at a location. 

Kenneth Armour finds his through pants. 

Winter Garden is where Armour’s business “Awesome Pants” was born just a few short months ago.

Armour, originally from Scotland, came to Winter Garden in 1991 and immediately fell in love.

In 2021, Armour discovered the pants that would launch his business online from a distributor in India. He said he loved the eye-catching colors and unique designs. 

He ordered a pair. Then another. An another. Armour said he now owns 12 to 15 pairs. 

“I need color and variety in my life, and the pants give me that,” he said.

With permission from the distributor, Armour now buys the pants in bulk by the hundreds and re-sells them for $20 in the downtown area. 

The pants are 100% silk and showcase the rich and creative Indian culture. He said the pants are unlike anything he has ever worn before and keep him comfortable in all climates. 

Both the business and its owner are already making an impact in the community. 

Winter Garden resident Chris Chan has known Armour since Chan first started his business in 2014. 

“He’s (Armour) is that familiar smiling face you see every day walking down the street,” Chan said. “His pants are a total reflection of his personality and creativity.”

Although the business is catching attention, Armour said the reasoning behind what he does has nothing to do with money. 

The biggest reward for Armour is the joy the pants bring people.

After a customer chooses a pattern, the pants arrive in a sealed plastic package. Armour asks customers if he can watch them open the bag. 

“To just watch the delight in their faces is everything to me,” he said. “Also there is always something special hidden in the pants — whether it’s an opposite color, design, animal or even a mirror or crystal. It sounds simple, but it’s just about bringing joy.”

The owner said he doesn’t even keep an inventory of the pants, because he doesn’t want to open them up and ruin the surprise. 

THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE

The name of the business is self-explanatory, but it has a story hidden behind it. 

Armour said he was in a local coffee shop when someone asked him where he got his pants. When he explained he was beginning to sell them, the woman readily asked him for his number to purchase some. Because she didn’t know his name, she wrote down “Awesome Pants.”

Chan said the name is perfect for the company. 

“He’s a simple man with a heart of gold who is always looking to bless others,” he said. 

Although the business is doing well, Armour said he has no plans for expansion.

“People love it the way it is, so I have no reason to change it from what it is,” he said. 

Armour has held several different pop-up shops at local businesses around town, including Pammie’s Sammie’s. 

“Kenneth is truly a renaissance man,” owner Pam Thomas said. “He has a great vibe and is so artistic, intelligent and creative. I’m so honored to count him as a good friend.”

Armour said the community's reaction to his pants have meant everything to him. 

“I’m not afraid to be who I am, and I am definitely different,” Armour said. “When I get a positive response to it as opposed to a negative one, like I did when I was a kid, I realize that I just need to embrace it.”

Chan even shouted out Armour recently on his Facebook page and in the Winter Garden Community group. 

“(Armour is) one of the kindest souls you’ll meet — always giving back and living humbly,” Chan said. “Take a quick minute and send him an encouraging email with a positive message. You’ll feel good, and so will he.”

Next time you’re walking down the streets, make sure you keep an eye out for Armour and his Awesome Pants. 

“Buy a pair,” he said. “I wanna see you smiling.”

AWESOME PANTS

Those who wish to place an order can call Kenneth Armour at (407) 694-7798 or email him at [email protected].