by a simple mantra: treat people the way
you want to be treated, with respect and
dignity.

What is your business philosophy?
The secret to our success is service.
We are like the old mom-and-pop stores,
like the TV show Cheers where everyone
knows your name. We take special plea-
sure in educating our customers, like
how to tie a bow tie. We encourage our
customers to bring their suits to us, and
we can give them a fresh look with a
smart-looking shirt and tie. We make it
very easy for guys to shop.
We have to foresee trends in the mar-
ketplace before they happen. We saw the
handwriting on the wall for corporate
casual Friday dress. We beefed up our
sportswear in anticipation of that.

Why did you pass up a job with
Marshall Field's to start a local store?
I didn't know what I was doing, which
was the best blessing. I have a passion
for people — I love to help people. I live

What clothing trends have you seen
over the years?
The trend toward corporate casual. In
the early years, our sales were 90 percent
shirt and ties, and today they are now
like 50-50, shirts, ties and sportswear.
Manufacturers have designed non-
wrinkle cotton blends for shirts and
pants. Many materials in men's clothes

today are stain resistant. Athletic appar-
el, once made solely of cotton, is now
made from polyester to keep the body
cooler.
We are now in the process of creating
an online site to sell clothes.

How has the store changed over the
years?
My first store was 600 square feet
and was part of a renovated house in
Southfield. We moved to our current
3,100-square-foot store in Farmington
Hills in 1997. Seven years ago, local attor-
ney Rod Brown gave up his legal career
to become co-owner. He had worked for
me when he was in high school. I have
one other full-time employee and three
part-time employees.

Special events, promotions, all tied in
to charitable giving, are important to
your store. What's up your sleeve for
your 30th anniversary this year?
From May 12-14, we had a clothing
drop-off day where people who dropped
off their clothing received $5 for each
donated piece. This is just an extension
of a program we started three years
ago with the Neighborhood Services

Organization where people drop off
their clothes, and we donate them to the
NSO's used clothing store in downtown
Detroit. We are a permanent drop-off
location.
Our customers' generosity enabled us
to open the store for NSO, Joe's Place,
a Gentlemen's Clothing Closet. There
is a need for donations of men's dress
clothes to help those seeking re-entry
into the workforce. There are so many
barriers to getting back on track —
clothing shouldn't be the obstacle to get-
ting beneficial employment. There aren't
a lot of places for men to go in need of
clothing. The clothes are free.

What's next?
Our 30th anniversary party, which
takes place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 22
at the Shirt Box (32500 Northwestern
Highway). The event features a stroll-
ing dinner, desserts and entertainment.
We'll be raising money for the Michigan
Institute of Urology Run for the Ribbon
campaign to fight prostate cancer. Tickets
are $25 in advance and $30 at the door
and are tax deductible. People can RSVP
by email at sales@theshirtbox.com or by
calling (248) 851-6770. ri

I

I AM A MICHIGANDER WHO BELIEVES THAT FAIRNESS AND
EQUALITY ARE THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL VALUES VcE, SHARE
AS AMERICANS , I AM AN ACLU SUPPORTER BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION
WORKS DAILY TO COMBAT DISCRIMINATORY LAMS AND PRACTICES
AT EVERY LEVEL OF OUR GOVERNMENT.

IF YOU FEEL AS STRONGLY AS I DO ABOUT PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS, SUPPORT THE ACLU OF MICHtAN.

JOIN THE ACLU OF MICHIGAN TODAY. CALL 313-578-6800 OR VISIT WWW.ACLUMICHAG'2 ,,

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of MICHIGAN

August 18 2011

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