THE SPORTCOAT - THE EDDIE LEVINE STORY

In 1954, my first job was working for Eddie Levine in Levine Bros. Clothing Store in DuBois, Pennsylvania. Eddie and his other brothers had all followed their father in the clothing business … Each located in different towns in central Pennsylvania … Altoona, Tyrone, DuBois and State College.

I worked for Eddie all the way through High School and college and worked for his brother, Charlie, at his store in State College while I was at Penn State.

I started working for Eddie for $.50 an hour but worked my way up to $.85 per hour. I did all the usual things like washing the windows, dusting and straighting up the stock and taking inventory.

When I would finish with my daily chores, Eddie would give me one-on-one sales training by role-playing with me. Some times he would be a nice customer … Sometimes he would be a dificuilt customer all the time showing me “the ropes” of Selling.

Things like:
· Suggestive selling
· How to manage around the cash register
· Wrapping
· Packaging and mailing
· Always price check the tags before quoting a price
· Never stand in the front of the store
· Don’t rush a customer … Let them brouse a little before approaching them.

Eddie built his business on honesty, standing by his quality … His word was his mantra.

Usually Eddie would handle the sale of the big items like suits [$85 with 2 pair of pants] and sportcoats [$32.50 and $27.50] … If he was busy with another customer, I was his backup.

One side point … All of this was before computers or modern cash registers … On the price tag was 2 five letter words, such as “black horse” where each letter stood for a digit from 0 to 9 … A code which told the sales person what the cost of the item was … This was the common way to control inventory, cost and selling price. Eddie was a smart business man and would check the small window to see what his sales were … He knew his break even “nut” everyday.

One day I was backup and a lady came in to buy a sportcoat for her husband. I showed her some sportcoats in both prices … she couldn’t make up her mind. Finally, She picked one and asked how much it was. I told her it was $27.50 and she decided to take it.

When I took it up to the register, I took off the tag which was standard procedure for inventory control.

I realized I had miss quoted and told her the sportcoat was $32.50 … She said, “I thought you said it was $27.50.” Oh, Oh … Eddie was standing by the register and said to me, “Did you quote the lady $27.50?” I told him yes … He said, “Then that is what you sell it to her for.”

Of couse, after she left, I received another lesson from “Eddie” … Your Word is your bond … If you don’t stand behind your product and your honesty the customer will be a one-time customer and “Eddie” wanted “repeat and loyal customers.”

We remained in contact for over 50 years … Eddie Levine passed away in 2009 … He will be missed!