October 24, 2007

Snouffer Apparel Promises a Haute Time in the Old Town

Top: Lisa Beaty and Bret Snouffer opened Snouffer Apparel on October 13 at 26 N. Sandusky St. Bottom: The store, open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, sells new, name-brand clothes for men, women, and children.

Snouffer Apparel, 26 N. Sandusky St., opened its doors on October 13 to provide the community with high fashion at low prices. Owners Lisa Beaty and Bret Snouffer say they have men’s, women’s, and children’s clothes from many leading clothiers at a fraction of their original prices.

“All of our clothes are new, first-quality items,” Beaty says. “We get that question a lot. This is not irregular, or outlet-store merchandise.”

Most department stores turn over their inventory every 28 days to entice shoppers to keep coming back, Snouffer explains. It’s this merchandise—along with other shelf-pulls and overstock items—that Snouffer Apparel makes available to its customers.

“I’ve seen items for $60 at Macy’s that we have for $8 here,” Snouffer says, adding that just like the big department stores, he and Beaty plan to continually add new merchandise and turn over their inventory regularly.

“We anticipate having all new selections every 30 days,” Snouffer says. “It’s always going to change. So I tell people that if you don’t see something you like, you should come again. And if you do see something you like, you should grab it.”

What’s sure to grab the attention of shoppers is the store’s sophisticated look and spacious interior. Snouffer Apparel boasts 2,500 square feet of retail space and a décor that features pale avocado-colored walls, sculpted carpet, dramatic lighting, and popular music. A flat screen TV is being added this week to ensure no one misses the latest sports competition.

The changes will be striking to anyone who remembers the store’s days as a Mexican restaurant, complete with chili-pepper red walls. “There’s a lot of paint on those walls,” Beaty says. “A lot of paint.”

One thing that remains is the room-sized safe, which has been part of the historic building since it was built in the 1850s. These days, the former bank safe serves as a very secure dressing room. Serving as a table inside the dressing room is another historic safe, also too large to move.

The building’s history appeals to Snouffer, who grew up in Delaware and who remembers when the site housed Wilson’s, a longtime clothing store.

When he and Beaty began talking about opening their own store, Snouffer immediately thought of Delaware. Beaty, a Columbus resident, was quickly convinced.

“This town has just been unbelievably friendly,” she says. “I love it here.”

“Things just dropped right into place for us,” Snouffer adds.

– Cole Hatcher