By Matt Smith
During a recent trip to Squires, one customer is browsing through winter jackets, while another customer is at the register asking about flip flops and beachwear. Behind them, at the back of the store, yet another customer is being fitted for dress shoes, because he’s got a wedding to attend. And next to him sits a family trying on various hiking boots for their excursion in the mountains. The endless and “seasonless” variety may appear strange to some, but for the Squires’ team, it’s perfectly normal — every day of the year.
Squires’ Family Clothing and Footwear on South Greeley Avenue in the heart of the downtown area, prides itself on this diversity, and being a year-round, multi-purpose establishment, regularly stocked with “a tremendous selection” of “quality name-brands” for any season.
Says owner Michael Kushner, who took over the store in 1987, of Squires’ appeal to the community: “We’re a good alternative to the big-box stores. We offer a full service, and not just a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”
Much of the community is aware of all the store has to offer. Squires has enjoyed consistent business from local residents since it opened in Chappaqua in 1949. “Many of our customers are the same customers,” notes Kushner, adding that the store’s popularity most likely stems from their ability to be reliable/their reliability to carry items. In a given season where other stores may only offer products which are exclusive to that season, “it’s nice to know you can depend on a store [to have what you want].”
Kushner’s warm smile as he speaks those words indicate that Squires certainly fits into that category: “When you come in here, 99 percent of the time, we’ll have what you want.”
Additionally, in keeping with its reputation for customer loyalty, Squires is also equally loyal to its products and merchandisers. Believing a product should continually be sold–regardless of if it’s out-of-season, or, perhaps, an older model of an updated item–if the company still manufactures it, and the customer still has interest, Kushner explains, at his store, “if something’s moving well, we continue on with it year after year after year.”
He goes on to say that most stores tend to change inventory with the season, “which is good, but you don’t want to change necessarily [just to change].” For that reason, again, ever dedicated to the customer, Squires has a selection of core products on hand all the time–which is presumably the key to its success.
Finally, new customers may be enticed by the year-round sales rack, located just outside the store, offering a variety of seasonal items at a lower price. which changes offerings by the season. Kushner notes “we do have about six to eight sale racks” inside the store, containing the occasional overstocked items–at a discounted rate.
Important to note, too, that in addition to their booming business, Squires is also extremely active in terms of community outreach. They donate to many churches and synagogues throughout the year, including the First Congregational Church’s semi-annual Barn Sale. On the topic, Kushner recalls, in particular that “after 9/11, there was a need for [help] for some first responders down in the city–clothing, socks, things like that–so we loaded up some trucks and helped them out.”
There you have it. A one-stop shopping experience perfectly positioned in the center of town, where you can buy a bathing suit, a winter fleece, and be fit for a tuxedo, all in the same place?! And the generous staff gives back to others in the community? Sounds like you can’t go wrong! So, head down to Squires today!
Squires’ Family Clothing and Footwear is located in Chappaqua, at 41 South Greeley Avenue, as well as Katonah, at 193 Katonah Avenue. The store boasts such name-brands as Patagonia, Sperry, North Face, Tommy Bahama, K-Swiss and Christopher Blue. www.squiresny.com