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Winchester clothier marks a milestone
by Heather
B. Hayes
for Virginia Business
July 2006
The Great Depression hardly seemed like the best time
to start a business, but haberdasher Sam Shendow saw
an opportunity for an upscale menswear store in Winchester.
He opened Bell’s Fine Clothing in 1931.
The store began by providing high-quality
suits for hard-to-fit customers and people with discerning
tastes. Bell’s
emphasis on workmanship and customer service has served
it well. The family-owned store recently celebrated
its 75th anniversary. It now caters to men and women,
drawing
customers from as far away as Fairfax and Harrisonburg.
(The name of the store, by the way,
comes from Bell’s,
a Washington clothier. Shendow represented Bell’s
when he began visiting Winchester in 1929 to take orders
for custom-made suits.)
“There are a lot of people out
there that still have respect for value and a desire
for service, and they’re
not about to trade down on either one,” says
Irvin Shendow, Sam’s son. A former aeronautical
engineer, Irvin now runs the store with his wife, Sarah,
and
sons Scott and Stephen. The business has 10 employees.
For its anniversary, Bell’s rolled out a new logo,
Web site and advertising campaign. The store also held
an invitation-only party for longstanding customers.
Irvin Shendow calls the milestone satisfying. “I’m
glad it’s here, but we’re moving ahead,” he
says. “I just hope that I can be here 25 years
from now and enjoy the 100th anniversary.”
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