FROM OUR NOVEMBER ISSUE: MILESTONES – 50+ YEARS! J.PARKER LTD., SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

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.

J. Parker Ltd. was founded in 1972 by Jimmy Parker and is now run by his wife,   Dale. There are five locations, four of which are in Savannah, Georgia. A fifth store is in Bluffton, South Carolina.

What is most unique/special about your store? Our mission is to offer an exceptional shopping experience via a curated selection of products to meet our customers’ needs. We’re dedicated to fostering a welcoming environment and building lasting relationships within the communities we serve.

What’s selling best these days? Our bestsellers include Peter Millar, Johnnie-O, Brax, and Duck Head. Performance golf shirts and shorts are always our most popular items for spring. As we transition into fall, sportcoats and outerwear from Barbour have been popular, as well as Martin Dingman shoes and belts. Also, lightweight sweaters, quarter zips, and vests. Our top brands in terms of sales volume are Peter Millar, Johnnie-O, Duck Head, Jimmy Knows (our in-house label), Brax, and Martin Dingman. Our mix is 70 percent sportswear, 20 percent tailored clothing, and 10 percent other.

Your online strategy: We’re actively focused on increasing the online segment of our business, but most of our business is done in our five brick-and-mortar locations. While we want to increase online sales, we’re fortunate to be in one of the top tourist districts so have not seen a decrease in walk-in traffic. Everyone wants to visit Savannah! Our Bluffton store is also in an area that’s always busy.

Best/worst part of your job: I love visiting with our customers and being involved in the communities we serve. The worst part: there’s never enough time in the day!

Describe yourself as a manager: I look to my years as a coach when it comes to my management style. I lead in many of the same ways I coached. I tend to treat my employees like players on a team. We all have a job to do, so it’s important to empower people while being positive and encouraging.

Smartest recent move: Expanding our brand and opening a stand-alone women’s store. We’ve had a selection of ladies’ clothing and accessories for years in our other locations, so it was time to fully commit and open a ladies’ store location. J. Parker Ladies officially opened in September 2023.

Changes ahead: We’ll soon be opening a new store next to our midtown Savannah location to include custom suiting, shirts, and alterations.

How you’re attracting young guys: Because we’ve been here over 50 years, generations of men shop with us. Our locations ensure lots of foot traffic from both locals and tourists. And, of course, we sell the most desired brands men are looking for, brands we regularly promote on social media. Consistently shopping trade shows and markets helps us keep up with trends that appeal to younger audiences. Reading issues of MR never hurts!

Your secret to reaching this milestone anniversary? Hard work, quality service, great brands, and the support of our community. We wouldn’t be where we are without our customers, and of course, none of this would be possible without our knowledgeable and talented staff, the best in the business. Another success secret: we work hard to maintain great relationships with our vendor partners. We have a Johnnie-O Shop and a Martin Dingman Lodge in all stores. Peter Millar, Brax, and Duck Head are all very supportive, making sure we have successful partnerships. These relationships mean a lot, and we appreciate everything they do for us!