Since 1921

Heimie's Haberdashery: The anecdote to mass retailers such as Wal-Mart. For over 90 years, Heimie's has been offering bespoke gentlemen's apparel, cigars, dry cleaning, and shoe shining. And, as seen here, an old-world barber shop experience. Heimie's is unlike anything else that exists in retail these days. When you step in its door, it is as though you have stepped back in time to kinder, gentler and more leisurely days. Today I visited downtown St. Paul for a meeting and stopped by to say hello to the staff on my way back to the car.

Gus, the haberdasher, is on the left. Pierre, a master barber, is center. And Anthony happens to own the shop; his grandfather immigrated to the Untied States from Russia and opened the store in 1921.

Sadly, these old-world stores are few and far between in the States today and, given the time and opportunity, I love to step into their doors and back in time. It seems, with most retailers these days, that quantity is more important than quality, efficiency is more important than service and price is more important than the authenticity of function and design.

I understand modern economics and the fact that mass-retail and monotonous chain stores will forever rule the future and, like most people, I stretch our dollars by mostly shopping in hyper-markets.. But I do, when practical, fully subscribe to the "shop locally" vibe. Do you?

Long live Heimie's.

I said I might have time to view and comment today....in fact, I did not. Foolish me, it was Monday but tomorrow is another day.