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Chubbies Shorts raises $9 million in Series A funding: Video exclusive

Just days after the second-largest snowstorm in New York City history, Kyle Hency and Tom Montgomery walked into the Yahoo offices wearing only shorts. Call it dedication—the pair are co-founders (along with Rainer Castillo and Preston Rutherford) of Chubbies, an online clothing retailer that specializes in men's shorts.

The pair announced that the company has raised $9 million in Series A funding—bringing total funding to over $14 million since 2011. They plan to use the money to increase inventory but also to double down on domestic manufacturing by opening their own factory.

Chubbies has hired editors from Thrillist Media Group and will utilize its millions of social media followers to launch a content engine and produce original video and articles.

“Content is the lifeblood of how we market and I do think that’s the future, because interruptive marketing is not what people like these days,” says Montgomery.

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Chubbies is best known for its short-shorts (with a 5.5-inch inseam) that come in a variety of colors and retail for $59.50. If you haven’t heard of Chubbies, just ask any college-age guy for an explanation -- the company is particularly popular among fraternity members. In the early stages of their marketing, Hency and Montgomery reached out to fraternity presidents at Stanford (their alma mater) and received a strong response. They now have an ambassador program where over 100 college students work to promote the company.

The Chubbies’ founders explain that the company resonates so well with this demographic because the shorts remind them “of the weekend and their dads.” They even have a section of their website dedicated to dad jokes. Their marketing combines nostalgia for the seemingly carefree days of the ‘70s and ‘80s with a pining for weekends and school breaks.

As part of cultivating that lifestyle, Chubbies is also partially responsible for popularizing the “Dad Bod,” which, according to Slate, is a body that says “‘I go to the gym occasionally, but I also drink heavily on the weekends and enjoy eating eight slices of pizza at a time.’”

The company is currently expanding beyond shorts into men’s shirts and sweaters. They plan to make women's clothing in the near future.