A Buyer of Boyswear

Many, many years ago I had been talked into leaving the University of Buffalo and was immediately signed as an assistant in the Menswear department--but that's a story already told and is no longer news to any except new readers and they will have to suffer for missing my ramblings of the past. However, maybe they can catch a glimpse of my retail past by reading what follows.While busy in the men's department I received a call to go and see Craig Larkin, then the Merchandise Manager of the 3rd floor; made up mostly of Infants clothing, some young women's wear and the Boys Department. I wondered what he wanted? Anyway being a dutiful young man, who was also curious, I hurried to his office and was asked to sit down. He then proceeded to tell me he would like to employ me as the Buyer of the Boys department? This was quite a surprise. I had only served in the Men's operation for 6 months and was still learning that area. However, this offer included a $10.00 raise to the munificent sum total of $55.00--WOW!! How could I resist? So on the morning of June 2nd of 1947 I entered the Department early and greeted each of the employees as they arrived. I introduced myself and as they all gathered, I went on to have a meeting. I don't remember what I said except I was well received as the previous buyer, Mr J, turned out to have a problem with strong spirits and was often absent, causing an ongoing concern for the others who were trying to run things.


And so my retailing really began! I bought not only the normal things which I had previously become accustomed to, with the exception that the customers were all much smaller. This would be my first experience buying suits for Boys sizes went up to size 20 which in Men's sizing was a size 39. I could wear a 39 in those days --a lot has changed since then, and my wardrobe improved substantially at Boys prices, plus a special price from the manufacturers who were trying to stay in my good graces.



I think my first suit cost me $18.00 and I remember it as a brown plaid which I thought was quite handsome. There were other items I could purchase such as sox, ties, shirts and so on and my prices were all substantially less than I had been paying in the Men's department. At $28,00 annually, things were looking up. At 24 I was the youngest buyer in the store and here I must brag a bit. From a close friend, Walter, who was the assistant to the stores president, Albin Holder, and who was in a position to know and called me into his office one day and congratulated me on being # 1 in all of Associated stores. Our store, JN Adams, was 1 of about 11 other retail department stores scattered across the U.S. and I had completed my first full year buying for the Boys Department and this was quite exciting to know I had managed to top the other Boyswear Buyers in our parent organization. I went on for 4 more years and then was given the job of buying the Men's department and my salary over the years was now $9,000 annually and while that was much more than my first job at $45.00 a week and although I never reached the salary that I should have had, I had, in affect, risen through the ranks and I didn't argue the point. I had achieved a reputation of having the best Menswear operation in the city. The challenges of buying any department are many and I was successful in each that I had been responsible for. The store closed in January 1959. I had been working there for 13 years and starting from a part time employee I was now ready to take a new job and continue in the retail business. I had loved my jobs there and new opportunities were opening up and I was ready!! Subsequently, I interviewed at several major stores across the country including Lord and Taylor, Stewarts of Baltimore and other stores in Cleveland, Rochester, Omaha and was offered a job in all of the above. I was a retail buyer and proud of my name and reputation in the menswear industry.