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For Mark and Wendy Schwartz, co-owners of the Scott Gregory women's apparel store, bigger isn't better.
They're happy they've downsized from three locations to one.
PHOTO BY GLEN N TRI EST
DEBBIE L. SKLAR SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Mark and Wendy Schwartz
C/3
w
w
hey're down from three women's
apparel stores to one and still
working six days a week, but the
husband-and-wife ownership
team of Mark and Wendy
Schwartz isn't complaining.
They say they're happy run-
ning their lone Scott Gregory
store in Southfield and they're in
no hurry to open another one.
The store, located in the Ap-
plegate Square shopping center,
has been in business since 1991.
That's also the year Mr. and Mrs.
Schwartz started working to-
gether.
"I finally have civil hours," Mr.
Schwartz said. "There are a lot
less headaches and I can at least
go home for dinner."
Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz closed
their Fairlane Mall and North-
land Mall lbeations in 1993 and
1994. Mr. Schwartz said they did
not renew their leases because
they didn't want to be in malls
anymore.
"Malls aren't the wave of the
future," he said. "People like con-
venience; they want to pull up
to a store, get in and get out."
Mr. Schwartz is the grandson
of Albert Schwartz, who found-
ed the now-defunct chain of Al-
bert's women's clothing stores in
1933. At one time, there were 80
Albert's stores in 39 cities. The
business was sold in 1978.
"Two days after I graduated
from the University of Michigan,
I was working at Albert's," Mr.
Schwartz said. "I worked my
way up to dress buyer/manager
before I left.
"I was grateful for the 10
years of experience, but I had a
strong desire to go out on my
own. ),
In 1983, Mr. Schwartz opened
his Northland Mall store.
Scott Gregory is named for Mr.
and Mrs. Schwartz's two sons:
Scott, 16, and Gregory, 13. They
also have a daughter, Katie, 9.
Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz met at
U-M and were married in 1976.
Mr. Schwartz does the major-
ity of the apparel buying for Scott
Gregory, while his wife takes care
of the accessories and jewelry in
addition to acting as liaison for
advertising and public relations.
Most of the buying is done in
New York; some in California.
Since they've downsized, Mr. and
Mrs. Schwartz have targeted a
more diverse clientele with em-
phasis on businesswear for the
professional woman.
Working with his wife has
been enjoyable and good for busi-
ness, Mr. Schwartz said.
"We have a specific audience
we cater to, and Wendy has been
able to tap into that," he said.
"Also, Wendy is a people per-
son. She gets along great with the
customers. I'm more shy. I prefer
being a behind-the-scenes per-
son."
Mrs. Schwartz agrees: "I enjoy
working with people because it
gives me a creative outlet," she
said. "It's a vicarious pleasure to
see a client buy something I
would love for myself. I'm not jeal-
ous, because it's the next best
thing to buying it myself.
"My husband and I work well
together. We accent each other.
Where I'm conservative in some
things, Mark isn't. When we dif-
fer, we meet halfway."
Editor's Note: Last week, Scott
Gregory Inc. filed with Chapter
7 bankruptcy proceedings in U.S.
Bankruptcy Court in Detroit.
Mark Schwartz says that action
involves his former Northland
Mall store and a separate corpo-
ration and has no bearing on his
Applegate Square location. Li
.