Continued: Josephson's: In it for the long haul

Step inside Josephson's clothing store in downtown Red Wing, Minn., and step back in time. Aging oak cabinets line the walls. Pine floors, strong enough to drive a truck on, moan underfoot. An antique clock chimes.

In the back, a portrait hangs of a mustachioed Alfred Josephson, who started the men's clothier Jan. 26, 1878, with Emil Olund.

Only a handful of Minnesota retailers can claim such longevity and history. As current owner Tom Withers prepares to mark the store's 130-year anniversary, he's mindful of the Josephson family legacy.

"They offered quality products at a fair price and gave people customer service," said Withers, 56, who will hold a sale of men's suits, ties and other items as part of a daylong celebration Saturday. "That's the tradition we're trying to carry on."

Over time, the store has changed names and locations. It landed in its current spot on Bush Street, just around the corner from the St. James Hotel, in 1901.

Through wars, depressions, recessions and family disagreements about its future, Josephson's survived.

Even the rise of big-box stores -- Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have locations in Red Wing -- and the Mall of America didn't stop customers from coming through its doors.

"We don't need to go out of town when you have a place like this," said Dan Mjolsness, 80, of Red Wing.

"It's affordable and nostalgic," added his wife, Bev, 79, who picked out a leather coat, a sweater and two pairs of trousers for her husband during an outing to Josephson's last week. Josephson's officially is closed on Sundays, but unofficially it's always open. "If you need something on a Sunday, you get it," Bev added.

And then there are people like Micky West, a first-time customer who drove the 30 or so miles from Bayport after seeing a story about the store's anniversary on the evening news.

"This is the place for me," said West, who went looking for a new suit at a big-box men's store and said he came away "totally unsatisfied." At Josephson's, his new dark-gray pinstripe suit will be altered and shipped for free.

"I didn't believe it'd be so easy to find a nice place with down-home people," West said.

Withers bought the store from Tom Josephson, Alfred's grandson, in 1992, ending 114 years of family ownership. Born and raised in Red Wing, Withers had spent most of his working life in retail, and saw it as something of a calling. For three years Withers talked to Josephson about selling him the business, ultimately convincing him that he'd respect the family's heritage.

Two-digit phone number

By all accounts, he has.

Most of the light fixtures have been in place since 1903, though banks of fluorescent lights now supply a boost.

Withers uses the original safe to hold valuable papers. Receipts still are written out by hand on 1940s-era pads that show the store's phone number as "11." While quaint, it's actually a practical matter: Back when the company ordered 15,000 of the pads, they received 50,000 instead, Withers said.

When Withers bought the store, clerks still rang up sales using a hand-crank cash register. He beefed up the electrical system shortly thereafter, and the store now uses an electric cash register to handle credit card transactions.

But Josephson's has seen changes of a more modern nature, as well. When Withers took the reins, about 80 percent of the clothes the store sold were made in the United States. Now, it's 22 percent or less, he said.

Back then, he had an inventory of about 750 suits. Now, he's down to 450 or 500, thanks to more casual trends in men's fashion. In response, he has added more sportswear, jeans and sweaters.

Withers also has had to grow along with the country's waistlines. Where once his largest suit was a Size 2 Extra Large Tall, Josephson's now can fit a Size 5 Extra Large Tall.

Men shopping at Josephson's can find pretty much anything but shoes, including boxers, bathrobes and felt hats. Suits range from $240 to $360. A sweater will run you $30 to $125, while dress shirts (which come in 68 sizes) range from $30 to $65.

There is no typical client, Withers said. Tourists often become regular customers, and many clients travel from outside what would be the typical Red Wing shopping district. Lawyers come from Edina, doctors come from Rochester, and a TV station manager ventures in from La Crosse, Wis., Withers said.

"They've stood the test of time, because they're consistent every day with their pricing and the way they treat their customers," said Mark Albers, a sales rep for Hardwick Clothes, a 128-year-old family business in Cleveland, Tenn., that manufacturers men's suits.

"You know the people you're selling to. If someone has a special case or an emergency, when people need something for a wedding or funeral in time, he can provide that service."

Withers slips in the back door of Josephson's at 7 a.m. and spends a couple of hours at the sewing machine making alterations, which are free on any full-priced suit.

At 9 a.m. he opens the store. Most nights, you'll find him there until he locks the glass front door at 6 p.m.

While the rest of the nation struggled through a challenging holiday season of slow sales, revenue increased 20 percent at Josephson's. But last summer's stifling heat kept boaters and tourists from shopping there.

Withers said he makes enough to pay the bills, plus a modest salary for himself and his wife, Denise, who keeps the books. But he says he's yet to make a profit.

"I knew coming here I wasn't going to get rich," Withers said. "But I'm going for another 20 years. At least."

Jackie Crosby • 612-673-7335