SUCCESS TIMES TWO
Marcus Blaque and Britches of Troy Small Business Spotlight:
TROY, N.Y. >> Marcus Golston has accomplished what few other Troy business owners have: He has two successful stores in the same city.
Marcus Blaque, which opened in April 2018, and Britches of Troy, which opened in October 2019, fill a niche not just in the Collar City, but in a large part of the capital region. Many of the brands carried in both stores can’t be found outside of New York City, but customers won’t have to pay “big city prices” for them.
There are very few clothing stores around that are small, locally-owned businesses. In an era of national-scale retail giants and online shopping, Golston is doing very well with his small-scale boutiques.
“When I first opened, my critics were saying ‘are you crazy? Why are you opening a clothing store? Everyone shops online!’ But that’s not totally accurate,” said Golston. “Yes, people shop online a lot, but people also want to touch and feel and try on the clothes.
“Plus, there’s something fun about going out shopping. You want to make sure that what you’re buying fits you properly. A lot of vendors are starting to play games with sizes, and you can’t make sure something fits you if you’re getting it online.”
Golston has been in the clothing business his whole life, with 30 years of retail experience under his belt, and he’s doing what makes him happy. He prides himself on offering the best quality for the best price. Affordability is important to him, and since he’s been in the business for so long, he knows where to find the highest quality products to match to his price point.
Golston got his start after his daughter went away to college. He had spent 17 years working for the same company, and after discussing it with his wife, he decided to try striking out on his own. After a few years of independent entrepreneurship, he tried going back to the retail world as the director of Barney’s of New York.
He quickly realized that the return to retail had been a misstep.
“I couldn’t do it,” he said. “I believe in freedom and doing my own thing.”
He went back to owning his own stores, one each in New York City and New Jersey. Then, about 10 years ago, he and his wife bought a house outside of Lake George. During frequent drives between their home and the New York store, the city of Troy became a frequent stop as a convenient halfway point between the two locations.
“I already knew a little about the city from a family member who had worked on a movie being shot in Troy,” Golston said. “I soon found that Troy was a really good area to do business in.”
Golston started looking for locations in the city that would make a good storefront. One day in 2018, he got a call from his agent telling him that a property was about to become available. He Googled the location 260 Broadway - to take a look at it. Once he saw it, he jumped in his car and drove up from New York City that afternoon to sign the lease. He knew he had found the perfect location.
That April, Marcus Blaque opened its doors. The stylish little women’s boutique did very well. By the summer, his clients were asking him about a store for men. No such store existed that wasn’t a retail chain - until Britches of Troy opened in October 2019.
Now, at the beginning of 2020, things are going very well for Golston. Business for both stores is good. He credits his success with some very smart business practices, as well as the attitudes of the current generations.
“The Z-ers, X-ers, and Millennials are different from other generations,” he commented. “They’re driven by personal style. They’re willing to spend a little more on sustainable clothes that are good quality, instead of something you wear a few times and then it gets tossed in a landfill.”
Golston’s own attitude plays a big part as well. He doesn’t see his boutiques as stores for “fashion,” but instead for “classic dressing.” He doesn’t see himself as a fashion person, either, but as someone in a position of “servant leadership.”
“I’ve never considered myself in the fashion business,” he explained. “I’ve always considered myself in the people business. You build your business by making an
emotional connection with a customer. Then they become a client, and clients are loyal.
“It says a lot when I’m able to help someone feel good about the way they look, and then a month later they come back with a family member.”
Golston’s success also comes from his high level of involvement in both stores, a business practice that makes all the difference to both staff and customers. He splits his time between both stores, working as hard as his employees, who he calls teammates - and as far as he’s concerned, it’s not “his team.”
Everyone, including him, is on the team together, on the same level. Golston does everything his teammates do in the stores, from sales to organizing to cleaning the bathrooms. Customers see this, and appreciate it.
Marcus Blaque and Britches of Troy are inclusive stores that welcome everyone looking for good clothes at good prices. As far as Golston is concerned, “clothing is clothing and people are people.” All are welcome. Golston’s success also comes from his willingness to listen to his clients. After all, they were the ones to suggest opening a men’s store.
“If I hear it enough, I have to look into it,” he said. “That’s the smart thing to do.”
Currently, the suggestions heard the most frequently are to expand into “plus sizes,” and to open a third store “on the other side of the bridge.”
Golston says there’s something in the works to fill another need in Troy, but isn’t ready to elaborate just yet. What he is willing to elaborate on is how much work he knows he still needs to do in both stores. While he’s interested in growing, he doesn’t want to grow too fast while there’s still so much to do.
“There are lots of areas I can improve on,” he commented. “Shoes, handbags, the range of selection in both stores - including more sizes - and new items.
There’s a lot for me still to do.”
One of the current projects is upgrading the stores’ website, giving it a more personal feel and directing more traffic to the stores. When the upgrade is finished, customers will be able to use it to book store appointments. While both stores have regular business hours, and walkins are always welcome, an appointment will give you a more personalized shopping experience.
Golston aims for 3-4 appointments per week.
Also on the to-do list is a remodel of Marcus Blaque, scheduled for late spring/ early summer. Golston wants to give the store a refreshed look. Britches of Troy will stay unchanged, since Golston already has it exactly the way he likes it: a cozy, warm haberdashery, the only one of its kind for miles around, and in the perfect location - downtown Troy.
“I prefer to do business downtown,” he said. “It’s less of a carbon footprint when you can walk. It’s a 3-minute walk between both stores, and downtown Troy is filled with small businesses you can walk to. Supporting the local economy is so important. Troy is a great place to shop local, and a great place to do business.”
Golston also knows that part of doing business is giving back to the community. After every season, part of the stores’ profits are given to a variety of organizations in Troy, from schools to charities. Clothing donations are also made to places like the Salvation Army and the women’s shelter a few blocks away from Marcus Blaque.
The donations are always made quietly, without any fuss or fanfare. Golston believes that attention doesn’t need to be drawn to the act of giving back, it just needs to be done.
For the time being, as he gets ready to celebrate his second anniversary as a small business owner in Troy, Golston is very happy with both of his stores. He’s glad to be able to continue doing business in downtown Troy in 2020.
“I’m looking forward to things to come,” he said. “It’s going to be an exciting year.”