STYLE
EVOLUTION
Suburban Casuals reflects on 50 years in business!
What started in 1967 as
a small clothing store for
women has evolved into a
regional institution.
Now in its 50th year,
Suburban Casuals has evolved
with the fashions of the times,
allowing it to retain and grow
its customer base and expand
into a men’s and women’s
specialty store. As owner
Carol Selige explained, the
store strives to maintain a fi ne
balance between trend and
staying power.
“When our buying team is
previewing new collections
for the upcoming season, we
must take into account not only price
and quality, but also if it is a trend that
will resonate with our customers,” she
said. “We try to keep ahead of the
fashion curve so that our customers
can always fi nd something new. You
don’t think of what you like, but what
the customer will like.”
grandparents,
her sister and
her three sons.
This familiarity
has allowed
it to become
a regularly
sought-out stop
for outfi ts for
life’s special
occasions,
such as proms,
weddings and
graduations.
“I take great pride in the history of
Suburban Casuals and its strong ties to
the community,” she said. “Seeing the
faces of the people that we have served,
generation after generation, is why
businesses such as ours are so important
to the fabric of our country.”
“Pulling together around stores such as
my family’s helps to create a sense of
community,” she added. “Shop local isn’t
just a slogan, it’s an American tradition.”
“We see people
come back to our
store from as far
away as the West Coast,” she said. “They
stop in when visiting family and friends
in the area and make it a point to tell us
about our unique selection.”
It is customer experiences like these that
increase Ms. Selige’s pride in her family’s
business.
Ms. Selige said that the store has
employed four generations of her
family at any given time, from her
parents, who fi rst opened it, to her
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