A profession that was a best in shape: Apparel retail outlet proprietor turns 90 on Sunday | Company

When Leonard was made available the position, even so, he hesitated. He assumed Seeley’s provide of $200 a week and a 2% commission was as well low. When Seeley provided $227 a 7 days and 3% fee, Leonard approved.

“Mr. Seeley was excellent to me and I preferred the clothes business enterprise, so I definitely did nicely,” Leonard claimed.

From the get started, Leonard has genuinely preferred the solutions he was offering. The navy blue go well with Leonard wore at his 1956 wedding to his spouse, Lila, arrived from Seeley Clothing.

“Navy is still a person of the prime suits that persons use,” Leonard stated.

By the mid-1960s, Leonard had acquired 20% of the small business, and in the 1970s he bought out Mr. Seeley. Right after a long time of performing collectively, the two were being company companions and near pals. Before Mr. Seeley retired, he commenced transitioning extra duty to Leonard so prospects would be snug and have assurance in Leonard.

“He had authentic challenging buyers, but I was ready to get care of them,” Leonard reported.

Leonard is making that identical changeover with his son, Mark, who started off working at Seeley Outfits at age 14. About eight family customers have been staff members of Seeley Clothes at 1 time or another, Leonard stated. Mark earned a degree in small business administration at the University of South Dakota and has stayed at Seeley Outfits for 46 many years.