Third-Generation Wein’s Clothing Store Officially Closed; Customers Offer Memories

Ron Wilshire

Ron Wilshire

Published January 2, 2020 5:50 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – The closing sale for the 108-year-old Wein’s Clothing is now officially over, but third-generation owner Alan Wein admits there are still a few things available after he opened doors on Monday.

(PHOTO: Alan Wein and a photo of the first generation of Wein’s owners.)

“The sale has gone well,” said Wein. “It went very well. As long as we’re going to be here cleaning. We still have some deals and things left.”

Alan said he didn’t know what to expect with the sale, and this was the first time he ever had to run a store closing sale.  It was his first and his last. He doubts if he could survive another one.

“My entire life (66 years) has been nothing but retail,” continued Wein.

“It’s all I know. This was on my mind for a couple of years, and it’s something I had to start thinking about while I still had my health. My children have no interest in coming back and would have been the fourth generation continuing the store. I was the only one from the third generation, and so it was something that I knew what was coming and had to start preparing. I made some inquiries and talked to some companies.

“I had a company that I hired that helped me out with the sale, and they were here throughout the entirety of the sale and they were terrific. They really guided me through everything and really did all the prep.”

The planning for the store closing also included working with his long-time employees.

“I mean we were all pretty much in the same ballpark, age-wise, and you know — everybody was ready to move on. Most of them have grandchildren, and they want to see them, and they want to have some free time. I think the shortest term employee we had is maybe 10 years, but I had people that worked here for up to 40 years.”

What were some of the things that sold right away?

“One of the terrific items in men’s clothing were the suits and sports coats. The deals on them were so fantastic, and the deals got better as the sale went on. We went through a lot of suits and sports coats and the dress shirts, too.

“In women’s, jeans were terrific, and we had a line called Task, actually in men’s and women’s, and sort of an active workout type clothing. It sold well when it was at regular price — let alone sale price.

“We even put a few things outside for free. One woman today (Monday) wanted wooden hangers. We also had a couple of nice office chairs. There are a lot of things that we have left, and I’m going to be working with some of the charitable organizations in the area for some of the racks and some of the clothing that we have left.”

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Customers also offered their memories of the story along with making purchases.

“I had so many people call. I got cards from a lot of the old-timers — you know — the stories mostly with the second generation people know and the dealings they had with my dad Morris, or Joe, Chuck, and Meyer, and it is just was very comforting to hear a lot of those stories. They made me feel good, made me feel a little sentimental. It’s been pretty emotional … had a few good cries.

“This place has always been sort of my man cave, aside from being my business,”  Wein whimsically recalled. “(When) I just needed some quiet time, I’d come up here and lock the door and sit down and talk to the relatives that are no longer here — and they would always answer me. I had good communication with all of them with no Ouija board.”

Old Wein's

What’s next for Wein’s?

“I don’t know yet. I have a lot to do here as far as cleaning things up. I still own the building and want to keep it as a viable entity on Main Street.

“I don’t want to bring another something that we don’t need in town. I would like to keep a retail store with some type of retail environment here, and that’s important to me as a retailer and as a Clarion person.

“If anyone does have any idea they can call the store at 814-226-7400. I’ll be in and out, so they can email me at alanwein@weinsclothing.com.

Has anyone expressed an interest in the building yet?

“Not yet. Nothing. I mean there’s been a couple of inquiries but nothing that was really serious.

“Malls and retail outlets are closing, but I think there’s going to be a new push in the downtown areas because the malls are suffering and a lot of the big box stores, whether in malls or freestanding, they’re having a tough go.

“I think we’ll see a resurgence in downtown areas because people want to keep their downtowns viable, and they just don’t want empty buildings. I look for a resurgence.”

Alan said he could offer some advice from his 66 years on what works.

He looked across the store, smiled, and added that he might also be talking a little more with his relatives in his “man cave.”

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RELATED: Wein’s Closing A 108-Year-Old Era

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