August 21, 2006
A strong suit | A chat with Troy Alphie Nadeau, founder of Alphie's in Saco.
By Erview By Kerry Elson
Founded: November 2005
Employees: One
Startup costs: $75,000
Projected revenue, year one: $175,000
Projected revenue, year two: $225,000
Contact: 571-8557
15 Pepperell Sq., Saco 04072
www.alphiesstore.com
Tell me about Alphie's.
It's a small men's clothing store featuring everything from underwear to outerwear. I have suits, sportcoats, slacks, casualwear ˆ I even have bathing suits here for men. I have cologne, shaving products, leather jackets, ties, cuff links ˆ the typical things that a men's store would have, but some things that you really just can't find in a mall store, like shirt garters, or a particular brand of socks or different sizes that you wouldn't be able to find [elsewhere].
How did you get the idea for the store?
I used to be the store manager at The Men's Wearhouse in South Portland. And from the time I was a kid, I knew that one day I would have my own business. My goal was to have a retail clothing store, and when I got involved with The Men's Wearhouse, that's when I started learning really quick that I wanted to deal exclusively in men's clothing.
The biggest reason is that most men still like the idea of going into one store, dealing with one person, and having that person know their sizes. If you come into my store and buy a suit from me off the rack, we tailor it right in-house. If I don't have your size, I order it and then we tailor it to fit. So essentially, after it's altered, you have a tailor-made garment anyway.
How did you finance the launch of the company?
A lot of it was just some money that I had saved up. I also had a silent partner that I took on with me. Some businesses will call them angels. I got kind of lucky because it was a very close friend of mine.
What was your first day in business like?
It was the day after Thanksgiving, which, in retail, is the busiest shopping day of the year. I remember coming to the store at six o'clock in the morning and I had advertised that I was going to open by eight. The night before, my mom and I actually were in the store 'till about three o'clock, moving product and folding and hanging and touching up things. So when I came in the next morning, there were still certain things that hadn't been done.
Did you open on time?
Oh yeah. I can't say that I expected people to just come running through the door, but I did expect some traffic because I had a sign in the window [that said], "Coming soon: A men's clothing store." And I opened the doors andˆ there's nothing. And I had asked a few friends to come into the store with me in case I was busy, and we all sat around here for several hours without seeing any faces. Then, lo and behold, a customer walks in and tells me he needs a suit.
How do you market your business?
Word of mouth is worth so much more than any kind of advertising that I could pay for. It's important that when the customer leaves my store, they know they've been treated better maybe than they ever have before in any other men's store or mall store.
And I [advertise] a little bit in some newspapers because at this point, in the first year of the business, that's about all that I can afford. I also have a database of my customers, and when I have special sales or I want to announce a new product, they're the ones who get the mailing or the postcard exclusively.
What are your plans for growth?
Well, this is not going to be my only store. My plan is to open two more stores in the next five years. So this being my first store, I think it's a little bit smaller than what my next store will look like. My next store I believe will be in the Sanford or Springvale area, and then my third store will be in Lewiston/Auburn.
If you were Governor Baldacci's personal stylist, what outfit would you select for him?
Governor Baldacci would be a type of gentleman that should be in something very traditional. No fancy pinstripes, a traditional two- or three-button. I think that's something that he should be in, especially in Maine. He can't be too fashionable. He doesn't want people to think, "Here's my governor wearing his $1,200 suit."
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and
contact information to kelson@mainebiz.biz.
Employees: One
Startup costs: $75,000
Projected revenue, year one: $175,000
Projected revenue, year two: $225,000
Contact: 571-8557
15 Pepperell Sq., Saco 04072
www.alphiesstore.com
Tell me about Alphie's.
It's a small men's clothing store featuring everything from underwear to outerwear. I have suits, sportcoats, slacks, casualwear ˆ I even have bathing suits here for men. I have cologne, shaving products, leather jackets, ties, cuff links ˆ the typical things that a men's store would have, but some things that you really just can't find in a mall store, like shirt garters, or a particular brand of socks or different sizes that you wouldn't be able to find [elsewhere].
How did you get the idea for the store?
I used to be the store manager at The Men's Wearhouse in South Portland. And from the time I was a kid, I knew that one day I would have my own business. My goal was to have a retail clothing store, and when I got involved with The Men's Wearhouse, that's when I started learning really quick that I wanted to deal exclusively in men's clothing.
The biggest reason is that most men still like the idea of going into one store, dealing with one person, and having that person know their sizes. If you come into my store and buy a suit from me off the rack, we tailor it right in-house. If I don't have your size, I order it and then we tailor it to fit. So essentially, after it's altered, you have a tailor-made garment anyway.
How did you finance the launch of the company?
A lot of it was just some money that I had saved up. I also had a silent partner that I took on with me. Some businesses will call them angels. I got kind of lucky because it was a very close friend of mine.
What was your first day in business like?
It was the day after Thanksgiving, which, in retail, is the busiest shopping day of the year. I remember coming to the store at six o'clock in the morning and I had advertised that I was going to open by eight. The night before, my mom and I actually were in the store 'till about three o'clock, moving product and folding and hanging and touching up things. So when I came in the next morning, there were still certain things that hadn't been done.
Did you open on time?
Oh yeah. I can't say that I expected people to just come running through the door, but I did expect some traffic because I had a sign in the window [that said], "Coming soon: A men's clothing store." And I opened the doors andˆ there's nothing. And I had asked a few friends to come into the store with me in case I was busy, and we all sat around here for several hours without seeing any faces. Then, lo and behold, a customer walks in and tells me he needs a suit.
How do you market your business?
Word of mouth is worth so much more than any kind of advertising that I could pay for. It's important that when the customer leaves my store, they know they've been treated better maybe than they ever have before in any other men's store or mall store.
And I [advertise] a little bit in some newspapers because at this point, in the first year of the business, that's about all that I can afford. I also have a database of my customers, and when I have special sales or I want to announce a new product, they're the ones who get the mailing or the postcard exclusively.
What are your plans for growth?
Well, this is not going to be my only store. My plan is to open two more stores in the next five years. So this being my first store, I think it's a little bit smaller than what my next store will look like. My next store I believe will be in the Sanford or Springvale area, and then my third store will be in Lewiston/Auburn.
If you were Governor Baldacci's personal stylist, what outfit would you select for him?
Governor Baldacci would be a type of gentleman that should be in something very traditional. No fancy pinstripes, a traditional two- or three-button. I think that's something that he should be in, especially in Maine. He can't be too fashionable. He doesn't want people to think, "Here's my governor wearing his $1,200 suit."
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and
contact information to kelson@mainebiz.biz.
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