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Business & Tech

Simon Oliver Wearing Well on Silver Spring

Boutique menswear shop lures customers with unique high-end products, individualized customer service and well-designed window displays.

As the owner of , it’s Perry Newsom’s job to follow the fashion trends – if only so far.

“Every clothing store wants to sell fashionable merchandise, but, ultimately, they’re not very valuable to the consumer if they’re only fashionable for a short time,” said Perry, who opened his high-end store at 318 E. Silver Spring Dr. in November of 2009. “I want to sell attire that a man can pull out of his closet five years from now and they’ll still be fashionable.”

Simon Oliver, named after Perry's two sons, carries exclusive formal and casual clothing lines such as Polo Corneliani suits and blazers, Altea neckwear and Arnau shirts. Apparel, Perry says, that appeals to confident, professional men, who want an alternative look than what’s offered at box stores and local malls.

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“We take a ‘less-is-more’ approach, so subtle looks come out rich,” said Perry. “We also like to create different twists on traditional looks, such as our jeans-driven ensembles. But whether it’s tailored or dressy sports wear, it’s all about giving the customer options.”

A 25-year veteran of the menswear retail business, Perry knows that his small, specialty shop is at a disadvantage when competing for consumers’ dollars with larger stores. To level the playing field, he relies on creatively constructed window displays as his “silent salesmen.”

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“Sometimes, you just get one shot a season to generate that ‘wow’ factor with customers for the items you’re carrying,” said Perry. “I love texture and color and use them in my displays to create a visual merchandizing story.”

Simon Oliver further attempts to distance itself from the pack, Perry says, with attentive and intuitive customer service. 

“We try to make the shopping experience here comfortable and intimate, not overwhelming or intimidating,” said Perry, who has two part-time employees. “We’ll meet special requests and oftentimes, we know without being told what even the uncertain customer wants because we listen and know what questions to ask as we review the swatches with them. We make sure that the customer gets exactly what they want.”

Perry says that the economic downturn – coupled with this year’s unseasonably cool and wet spring – has made business challenging, but adds that the development of his store’s website has drummed up much-needed new sales.

“We’re ahead for the year, but we’d be doing better if it wasn’t for the economy and the weather,” said Perry. “Men tend to buy now and wear now, so if the weather isn’t nice then they won’t usually buy in advance. Thankfully, our website is a store within itself and it’s made our business global as opposed to just for Wisconsin-based consumers.”

For more information on Simon Oliver’s apparel, visit the store's website.

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