FROM OUR NOVEMBER ISSUE: MILESTONES-126 YEARS! ROSENBLUM’S JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

The entire MR team proudly presents our November 2024 issue. If you haven’t received a hard copy, please page through our digital version, and we’ll continue to post individual stories here on  MR-mag.com. If you haven’t been getting MR in print, be sure that you are on our mailing list for future issues by completing  this form.

“My grandfather left Romania in the 1890s,” starts off Bob Rosenblum, third generation at Rosenblum’s, a two-store luxury men’s business. “He built a business in Miami selling pots, pans, and rags from a horse and buggy. He had six children, all in the business. My brother and I are third generation with seven kids between us; generation four includes my son Sheldon (now full-time) and hopefully some of his siblings and cousins will join in.

“Business these past few years has been strong in both stores: the mix in our beach store is more colorful/casual; in town it’s more conservative. We recently hired two new tailors and three sellers. Combined, tailored clothing (including MTM) is 70 percent of our volume and sportswear is 30 percent. In clothing, we open with Coppley and go up to Isaia, Sartorio, and soon (hopefully) Kiton. Judging from their cars and Rolex watches, our customers have more money than ever, so we’re not afraid to sell high-priced goods.

“What we do worry about is overdistributed sportswear brands selling direct to consumer, and to department stores and even local hardware stores. With their online prices often at 50 percent off, it’s tough for independent stores to make money with these brands.

“Our longevity secret is simple: 1. Great sellers whom we pay well (my brother and I don’t ring a single sale), 2. Strong relationships with vendors (I get to know my vendors on a personal level, and never accept them paying for dinners), and 3. A constant quest for unique, on-trend, special product. We love our customers and have developed strong friendships that can’t be duplicated. Bottom line: if independent retailers do it right, I believe there’s still tremendous opportunity to grow the men’s business.”