H
HERE AND NOW
Jean Genies
New local boutiques, businesses and brands you may
not know — but should.
By Lynne Konstantin
n 1978, 27-year-old Mark Blumen-
feld had a dream. He wanted to
wear blue jeans to work every day.
It may sound simple, but for a
recent pre-law grad, he didn't see
it coming true. So he and his wife
of a year, 28-year-old Elaine (shown
then and now), an education major,
decided to open a clothing store —
specializing in blue jeans.
Little did they know what kind of
journey they were embarking on. This
month, Rear Ends in West Bloomfield
turns 35, and they want the whole
community to celebrate with them.
When the store opened at Apple-
gate Square on April 4, 1978,
"elephant bells were all the rage;'
says Elaine Blumenfeld, who stocked
her shop with the embroidery and
patchwork-embellished
Faded Glory, Britannia and
Chic Jeans by HIS. Soon
after, Elaine came across Sas-
son jeans, retailing for $36
— she ordered nine pairs, to
be sold at their discounted
price of $28.
"Mark was furious" says
Elaine."Who is going to
spend that much money on
a pair of jeans?"
Elaine, of course, was on
to something, as designer
jeans from Edwin, Big John
and Girbaud carried the
business through the 1980s,
selling for up to $100 each
— and helped confirm the
need to expand, which they
did to a space at the Boardwalk on
Orchard Lake Road in 1994, then
twice more over the years.
Today, jeans are the new black
pants, says Ariana Blumenfeld, 28,
Mark and Elaine's daughter and busi-
ness partner, who started working in
the boutique in high school and came
back after college.
"Jeans are dressy,"she says."There
are maybe two restaurants in Metro
Detroit where I won't wear jeans. It's
so much more than just straight leg
and boot cut:"
Trends, cuts, texture, washes and
finishes bring so many premium
denim options to customers that
Ariana is determined not to allow a
customer out of her shop without a
perfect fit.
"We have customers who my par-
ents helped 30 years ago, and they
I
bring in their children and grandchil-
dren and are still just as loyal —
because they know we have the best
selection and work hard to find the
right choice for each customer she says.
To do that, she uses the eye for
upcoming trends that she developed
from years of working by her mom's
side and the business sense that her
father has imparted.
"I think I have the best
of both of them,"she says.
"I pore over numbers, but I
want to be effective in buy-
ing. I may find something
totally cutting edge at a trade
show, but a year later every-
one has it so I have to stay on
top of new finds and trends;
she says.
So far, her track record is
good: When she was 11, and
accompanying her mother
to a trade show, she spotted
Hard Tail, a new brand out of
Santa Monica — today, the
line is still one of the shop's
best sellers, along with Textile
by Elizabeth and James, Red
Engine, Paige, Citizens of Humanity
(shown) and more. Rear Ends also
recently introduced its own app that
offers a customer loyalty program,
special promotions and more.
In a world of e-commerce and big
box brands, mom-and-pop shops are
a rarity — and when one stands the
test of time, it's no fluke. "My parents
are my role models in all aspects of
my life" says Ariana, whose sister, Ali-
cia Chandler, chose law over fashion.
"I'm so proud of the work they've
done and what they've achieved over
the years, and I hope to be in the busi-
ness another 35 years, with my own
kids or my niece by my side:"
Celebrate Rear Ends' 35-year anniver-sary with a
week of special promotions, raffles, gift certificates
and more, April 1-6. Rear Ends, West Bloomfield
(248-626-4333).
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IUD MID I April 2013 37