MR MAGAZINE AND CHICAGO COLLECTIVE TO HONOR CENTURY-OLD STORES

We all know how tough it is to be an independent apparel merchant in this digital era. As the competition intensifies, specialty retailers are up against not just major department stores, fast-fashion chains and discount websites but also pop-up shops, resale boutiques and emerging direct-to-consumer brands.

Yet somehow, more than three dozen multi-brand men’s specialty stores in America have survived and flourished for more than 100 years, forging ahead with great product, dedicated service, and tremendous passion. From 1839 (J.E. Neilson’s in Oxford Mississippi) to 1919 (welcome to the century mark Puritan and Baumans!), these merchants have managed to maintain their core values while embracing change.

MR and the Chicago Collective will be honoring these intrepid merchants on February 16th at the Mart with a special event. And to commemorate their outstanding accomplishments, MR will be publishing a special section in our upcoming print issue featuring profiles of these merchants with insights into how they’ve managed to thrive for more than a century. This will be a coffee-table magazine to be savored for years to come; make sure your brand is part of it!

To join the salute to these retailers with a congratulatory ad in the February MR, contact Shae Marcus at Shae.Marcus@wainscotmedia.com.