THE EDITOR’S LETTER FROM OUR NOVEMBER ISSUE: CELEBRATING MILESTONES

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.

Welcome to MR’s Milestone issue, recognizing some of North America’s most interesting independent stores celebrating milestone anniversaries this year or next. Be it 10, 50, or 100+ years in business, surviving against so much new competition (vendor stores, digital sites, and retailers now competing with the same brands they helped build) certainly deserves accolades.

In this issue, a variety of very different retailers share their successes and failures, their future plans, their challenges and opportunities, their definitions of partnership, and their lessons learned. Although, in some ways, their businesses are similar (success = beautiful product + inspiring presentation + exceptional service + passionate sellers + talented tailors +
creative marketing), there are numerous notable differences. And while most merchants still love their jobs, many noted the long workweek, increased competition, decline in foot traffic, difficulty finding good tailors and motivated sellers, and the severe increase in operating expenses. Still, most say the camaraderie in our industry, the friendly sharing of ideas and even of product, outweighs the worry.

We apologize to all those deserving merchants not featured in this Milestone issue; ours is a mere random sampling. So, if you work for (or know of) a unique, exceptional, distinctive independent menswear store that belongs on our list, please let us know. Our ultimate goal is always to discover new sources, learn from their experiences, and share inspiring new ideas with our readers.

Among other good reading in this issue: a guide to attracting younger customers by Terresa Zimmerman, founder of the Mainstreet Matters podcasts and Wood Underwear; an ode to fine clothing by designer Joseph Abboud, legal analyst Doug Hand’s assessment of the proposed New York Fashion Act and what it will mean for your business, and an in-depth interview with our cover model and “accidental influencer” Nick Wooster. Nick’s journey through the ranks at Saks, Barneys, Neiman’s, Bergdorf ’s, and JCPenney takes many twists and turns. Thank you, Nick, for sharing what you’ve learned from several of the all-time great merchants.

Finally, as hard as it is for me to believe it, MR magazine is also approaching a milestone anniversary, 35 years in 2025. As founding editor of MR, that means I’ve been in this role for three and a half decades; how can that be? (For the record, Lizette, John and Charles are fast catching up to me!) As echoed by most of the merchants featured in this issue, the best part of our journey has been the genuine friendships we’ve made with so many wonderful retailers and manufacturers. MR would never have made it this far without your encouragement, support, and wise advice. For this, we are eternally grateful!

With much appreciation and sincere wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving and a calm, creative, peaceful, and profitable 2025,

Karen and the MR team

Image, at top, photographed by Rose Callahan in NYC, courtesy of Gladson at the Tailory.