Treat’s Squire Shop celebrates 55 years of business
Vestis virum facit, or the English translation, the clothes make the man. For 55 years, Treat’s Squire Shop has been providing those clothes to both the men and women of Plymouth, Marshall County, and Northern Indiana/ Southern Michigan.
Before opening the store in downtown Plymouth, Bud Treat worked as a traveling merchant, selling cosmetics to stores. He opened Treat’s Squire Shop in October 1966.
“We were living in St. Louis, MO and my dad decided it was time to go into business for himself. So, he left his employment and started Treat’s Squire Shop,” said Gary Treat, current owner of the store.
Gary explained that a big part of his father’s motivation to open the store in Plymouth was because he grew up there and attended Plymouth High School.
He was in second grade when his parents opened Treat’s Squire Shop and worked at the store while he was in high school. after graduating from Indiana University, Gary took a job in Miami, Fla. as a department store assistant buyer. as you might have guessed, Gary didn’t stay away from Plymouth for long. after working in Florida for seven years, he decided to return in 1987 to help with the store’s operations.
“I worked alongside dad until six years ago,” he said.
When asked why Bud decided to open a clothing store, his son replied that “in the sixties, the whole landscape of retail was different than what it was today. There were no chain stores, box stores, any of that stuff. Retailing was done through mom-and-pop hometown men’s, women’s, and family shoe stores. So, it was a great opportunity.”
He added that there was another men’s store located nearby when Treat’s was opened, but that didn’t bother Bud. “He thought he could serve another niche.”
While many things have changed over the course of five decades, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed at Treat’s Squire Shop.
“What hasn’t changed are the principles that started this company. That we take care of our customer, treat people like they want to be treated,” said Treat. “If somebody walks into our store, we like to treat them like they were walking into our living room. and you would not let somebody walk into your living room and just ignore them. You find out what they want and why they’re there and you do the best to make them comfortable and enjoy their experience. That part of retailing is absent from many of my fellow stores.”
That level of customer treatment and quality of products are a few factors Treat attributes to the success of
his family’s business. Treat’s Squire Shop is brand conscious, carry suits made in Chicago, Ill, sweaters made in Minnesota, and offer custom suits and shirts.
“You come in and we pick your fabric, and you pick your design, your silhouette. We measure you up and have it made measured to you,” said Treat in terms of their custom shirts and suits.
One of the things Treat enjoys about the business is meeting new people and helping them with their retail needs. Returning cus- tomers come in and talk to him about different clothing fashions from the places they’ve visited. “They’re interesting people and a lot of them are businesspeople, people who see what we’re doing and understand what we’re doing. They like to be part of it.”
If you’re looking for quality custom tailored clothing, Treat says that you’ll be hard pressed to find it on the internet. “There’s still people who want quality and service. There’s no substitute for that. The internet can’t substitute for service. They can offer a big assortment and they can make promises, but I see more people that are unfulfilled by the internet than fulfilled.”
As far as the future, Gary had the following to say. “I think we’ve carved a nice niche out as the premiere men’s specialty store in northern Indiana and so I think as long as I’m healthy and having fun we’re going to continue to grow and have great success.”
For more information about Treat’s Squire Shop, check out their Facebook page by searching @Treatsclothing, their website at www. treatssquireshop.com, or stop by their store in downtown Plymouth, located at 308 N. Michigan Street.