Very interesting independent "retail" developments

1. The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents and the insurance companies they represent have created a branding program with the tag line "Local Agents Serving Main Street America," to link their local businesses with local places. See the press release, "PIA Introduces Agent Branding Program, Local Agents Serving Main Street America(SM)."

2. An alliance of independent menswear stores has created their own clothing line, according to the article "Well suited," in today's Baltimore Sun, which features the Baltimore area member of the group, J.S. Edwards, based in Pikesville. From the article:

This year, Steinberg and a group of 40 other menswear retailers around the country created their own label of men's clothing, made with customers' needs in mind. The label, Judson Wade, is a sophisticated mix of sports coats, sweaters, shirts, ties and slacks that Steinberg and his peers developed using other brands' designs as templates.

"We might tweak the fabric on it, or we might add a zipper, or we might say, 'I think that sweater needs pockets,'" says Steinberg. "These are subtle things that we feel we've taken from great designers and marketed them altogether into one new product."

Steinberg says this is the first time such a grass-roots collaboration has taken place among retailers. "This is a label that is created by us, with a certain image, based on the sophistication, the taste level and the experience of us in the industry. I've been in this business for 23 years. I thought, 'Why can't I create a line?'"
Edward Steinberg, president and owner of J.S. Edwards, shows off shirts and a sweater in the Judson Wade line. (Sun photo by Monica Lopossay) Nov 21, 2006

Index Keywords: retail