IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: This article was originally published by ThoroldToday on March 2.
Herzog’s has been a St. Catharines staple for more than 100 years, but now the tuxedo rental shop has relocated to downtown Thorold under new management.
“Even though we’re holding on to the name, it’s a brand new venture for us," says co-manager Kathryn Powers, in an interview with ThoroldToday. “We’re starting to build our business and letting people know that the Herzog name is still here.”
The store is owned by Powers' 80-year-old mother Dorothy, who has been a Herzog’s employee since 1964.
When Dorothy first started working at Herzog’s, it still specialized in sporting goods. After going through several changes, Herzog's started operating as a tuxedo and suit rental shop.
“My mom was the manager of the tuxedo department and the manager of the store,” says Powers. “She also handled the apartments and the parking. She was basically [former owner] Rob’s right hand woman.”
Last fall, Rob Herzog decided to close the store and sell the building.
“He said: ‘Your mother has worked for me for over 56 years — I want to give her something,’” Powers remembers. “She was very loyal to the family. My mom wasn’t just an employee, she was also a friend of the family.”
Dorothy is excited to be able to carry on the legacy she put so much work and effort in.
“My mom is very passionate about her job,” says Powers. “She has outfitted people and now their grandchildren are coming in — they adore my mother. She is excellent at what she does.”
Powers has helped her mother at the store ever since she was a teenager, so working together comes naturally to the pair.
“I love being able to still learn from my mom,” Powers says. “There’s so many things that she knows that I don’t. I have the master here that is willing to teach the student. It’s just very fortunate for me that it’s my mom. I feel very honoured.”
According to Dorothy, the secret to a good tuxedo or suit is its fit.
“You don’t want to have something that you’re not comfortable in, something that’s too tight,” she says. “It has got to look like it belongs to you, not the rental company.”
Herzog’s specializes in suits, tuxedos and kilts, but the store isn’t exclusively geared towards male clientele.
“We work with all walks of life,” Powers says. “We have men and women who want kilts, we have men and women who want suits, and we have women who want to get married in tuxedos.”
When it came to finding a new location for the store, downtown Thorold was a no-brainer for the mother-daughter duo.
“We like the historic feel,” says Powers. “Herzog’s comes to me as a vintage classic. Just the look of the outside of the building, it’s very classy but vintage looking.”
After moving into the new space, former store owner Rob Herzog stopped by to give his blessing.
“Rob came in and we sat in the corner there,” Dorothy remembers. “I asked: ‘Rob, what do you think?’ And he said: ‘I like it.’ I said: ‘I knew you would. I like it too.’”
At the end of the day, the mother-daughter duo hopes to provide the same quality service customers have grown accustomed to over the years.
“It’s a known and trusted business,” Powers says. “Herzog’s has been in business for over 105 years and it’s still running. It’s just a different family.”
Herzog's is located at 51 Front St. S. The store is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays are by appointment only.
