Becca George, VIP Murfreesboro, September 5, 2018
Many thanks to the VIP Murfreesboro (September 5, 2018
Suits have been a staple in men’s fashion since the 19th century. Styles and cuts have changed but a well-made suit has remained an integral part of a man’s wardrobe. Adron Billingsley, owner of Billingsley’s for 27 years, always knew he wanted to sell men’s clothing. “I didn’t have a desire to do anything else,” explains Billingsley, “I worked one week at a feed store, that was the hardest job I ever had.” The feed store led to a job at a small men’s clothing store in Columbia where Adron worked from the time he was in high school. “I started there and almost got fired,” he explains, “I had a complex, I didn’t like to wait on people.” Billingsley realized quickly that the alternative was cleaning the store and decided he better learn quickly to wait on people. And learn he did, in 27 years and 2 locations he waited on and served many in the Murfreesboro community. Before opening Billingsley’s in 1969 he worked in the shop in Columbia for 17 years and then went to Pigg and Parson’s who transferred him to Murfreesboro in 1962. “I think that was the best move I ever made,” explains Billingsley, “In my lifetime I did what I wanted to do, I may not have made the money I wanted to make but that is my fault,” laughs Adron, “Oh yes, I loved it.”
Billingsley’s carried an array of men’s goods and specialized in fine suits. “One of the things we tried to do in business was to fit people properly, nobody left the store if it was wrong,” explains Billingsley, “We wanted to please the customer more than anything. There is a certain amount of pleasure in supplying to them what they want. We want the suit to fit. A cheap suit fit right will look good but a good suit fit right is even better.” Billingsley states that many times he saw men whose suits didn’t quite fit correctly, whether because the sleeves are too long or because the vents are still attached.
In 1969 Billingsley wore a six button, double-breasted suit as he stood with his wife and three daughters for the grand opening of Billingsley’s. “The two-button single-breasted suit has always been in style and always will be in style,” explains Billingsley. He explains that they might make slight style changes like the button stance or the vent. Billingsley still pays attention to the current styles.
“Today’s style is terrible. Coats are too tight, sleeves are too tight. It is the style but I wouldn’t want many of them in stock,” he jokes. When he started Billingsley’s, Adron called upon a salesman to start carrying one his lines of suits. After explaining his background, the salesman quickly invited Billingsley to New York to look at suits to bring back to Murfreesboro. “I have been in business all my life, I worked at Pigg and Parson’s and knew the brands,” explains Billingsley of the first-time ordering suits for his store, “We carried it all: shirts, ties, pocket squares, everything when it came to men, even hats.” “We didn’t sell very many hats,” laughs Billingsley, “John F. Kennedy killed the hat business. He was the president and had a good head of hair, he didn’t need to wear a hat.” It was their goal at Billingsley’s to treat each person that walked into their door as a potential buyer. “A man came into my store one night in overalls needing a suit and I sold him one, he paid cash,” remembers Billingsley. The same man had visited another store and had been looked over by the associate. “When they walked in that door I don’t care what they looked like, they were a potential buyer,” explains Billingsley.
“I would not have gotten out of it had it not been for the fact that Caster Knot was coming and I knew I couldn’t compete with them,”explains Billingsley of why he closed in 1996. When it came to local competitors, Adron considered them friends. “We were always friends, there were no hard feelings,” he says.
When it came time for going out of business Billingsley wrote letters to those competitor thanking them for their friendship over the years. Before he went out of business Adron sent two sets of letters out about his going out of business sale. One set of letters was to the men of his church congregation mistakenly inviting them to the Sunday going out of business sale. “I messed up and got the letters wrong,” laughs Billingsley, “We had a lot of people miss church that night.” Billingsley always had a good rapport with his customers. “One thing is that the customer is not necessarily always right,” explains Billingsley, “If he likes something you offer to show him something else, you don’t say what he is looking at his wrong.” The only exception for Billingsley was with a preacher in Columbia who asked about a specific tie. “He wanted to know what this tie went with and I told him ‘nothing’,” laughs Billingsley, “At church the next Sunday he said he wanted a tie but I wouldn’t sell him anything because it didn’t go with anything.” He had this type of relationship with many customers and worked to make the process easier and educate them on fit and comfort of suits.
“I really enjoyed selling clothes. Back then the factories dictated what you could buy whether you liked it or not,” explains Billingsley. “Advertising could convince people of anything. But I still haven’t been convinced of these suits today. I have seen a lot of things come and go but the two-button single-breasted center vent has always been with us.” Billingsley explains that with a suit the style of the tie directly relates to the lapel width; if the lapel is wide, the tie is wide and if the lapel is narrow the ties are narrow. Billingsley’s passion for suits is apparent and follows closely behind his love for his family and Alabama football.