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By KAYLEEN RESUSSER
According to Dick Mayer, owner of Masterson’s Clothing Store on West Market Street in downtown Bluffton, the adage “Some things never change” is especially true when it comes to fashion.
“Some clothing styles, like flat-front trousers, pleats, wider lapels, and narrow legs in trousers come and go,” he says. “Suits and sport coats stay standard because men still need suits to wear to church or special events like weddings and funerals. We have seen new color palettes and patterns over the years, but in this economy men are looking for something that will stay in style. We’re not seeing changes in suit colors. Blacks and dark grays are leading sellers.”
Mayer has owned Masterson’s since 1986 when he purchased the business from Adrian Sprunger and Bryl and Dorothy Masterson.
Mayer had worked at Masterson’s Clothing Store after graduating from high school. He then managed the Brooks Clothing store in Decatur store for 11 years before returning to buy Masterson’s.
Mayer says he developed an interest in clothing at a young age. “I was one of five children and we always wore hand-me-downs,” he recalls. “I thought when I was old enough to be employed, I’d save my money and buy nice clothing.”
When Mayer was 16-years-old, he worked as a janitor at Petroleum High School. It took Mayer one month to save enough money to purchase a sweater from Wolf & Dessauer’s Department Store in Fort Wayne. The sweater cost $20.
He recalls the sweater vividly. “It was a gray mohair and wool cardigan with a diamond pattern.”
The sweater, which lasted for many years, eventually was passed to his father-in-law who also wore it several years.
Today, Mayer says he takes pride in offering similar high-quality clothing to his customers. “I like working with people one-on-one,” he says. “I strive to offer customers nice quality suits and shoes for fair prices.”
During the Christmas season, Mayer diversifies his inventory slightly by adding ladies purses, sweaters, and jackets for women as items for purchase. “That is the only time of the year when we offer ladies’ apparel,” he says. “We are still testing the market to see if this is a viable option since there is no fine ladies clothing store in the area.”
He also carries tuxedo apparel and accommodates the Boy Scout Association by serving as a place for scouts to purchase uniform pieces.
Even though current economic times have made it difficult for small neighboring businesses to survive, Mayer has no plans to relocate his business from downtown Bluffton. One advantage to the current location is the savings it offers. “We don’t have the high rent of strip malls,” he says. “We can offer competitive pricing to our customers.”
“After all these years, people know where to find us,” he adds. “This area has lost some retailers, but we believe it is still a viable site.”