Best Dressed Dishes Out Checks

By Katie McFadden

The Best Dressed Man in Rockaway’s book is the gift that keeps on giving. When local resident Owen Loof wrote his book, “The Best Dressed Man in Rockaway: The Brooklyn Prep Years,” his intention was never to make money. Instead, he decided to donate the proceeds to four different charities—Tunnel2Towers, The Graybeards, Ministry of Hope/Hope House and The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

In August 2022, Loof released his book and back around the holiday season, he dished out the first checks from the proceeds, $600 each for the four charities. But his work wasn’t done. With a goal of donating at least $1,000 to each charity, in mid-June, Loof fulfilled his mission, giving another $400 to each of the four charities, and then some. At a Brooklyn Prep Alumni dinner in May, he was also able to sell a few books and at the end of the night, he donated all of the proceeds, $260, right back to the Brooklyn Prep Alumni Association.

“The whole idea of the Best Dressed Man is it isn’t about me. It’s about making people happy and if I can help charities while doing it, that’s what I’m going to do. With the book, I just wanted people to read funny stories and get a laugh out of it and bring back memories,” he said.

On the charities he chose, Loof said, “I picked Tunnel to Towers because how can you not want to help them? JDRF, Joe Mure is a terrific individual and has done so much for the community with The Little North Pole and he’s a Rockaway guy, so it was a no brainer. The Graybeards, what more can you say? They’re Rockaway people and they’re the best. And Ministry of Hope is my friend Charlie Russo’s charity. He graduated with me and he’s in the book and he’s been working with that organization for a long time, and they’ve been doing amazing work for young people and families.”

If you enjoyed Loof’s first book, there’s more in store and he says this one is even better. Loof just finished wrapping up his sequel, “The Best Dressed Man in Rockaway: The Love Stories Part One.” His work is moving through the editing and publication process and Loof expects to release it sometime this fall, and once again, the proceeds will benefit charity. Stay tuned for more and look out for the Best Dressed Man in Rockaway in his flashy suits, all around town. If you get a picture with or of him, make sure to tag his Instagram account @bestdressedmaninrockaway

He’ll also be selling books at the (Made) Market at Tap That (111-04 RBB) from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 9.