It’s hard to tell that Homer Reed is retired.
The 82-year-old founder of the three upscale clothing stores that bear his name makes daily phone calls from his Phoenix home to the business, now run by his son Mark.
He wants to know who came in, what they bought and how he can follow up with them. He spends more than three hours a day calling those customers to ensure their expectations were met.
“People can’t believe he actually calls them from Phoenix,” store salesman John Lee said.
The elder Reed is in town this week to join his son for the opening of the new Audrey and Robert Talbott store, which is inside the retailer’s downtown location. The store- within-a-store offers a full line of the high-end company’s clothing for women and men.
In the hours before a planned cocktail party Thursday to celebrate the opening, both Reeds couldn’t help but reflect on changes since the store opened in 1951.
One sign of the times: Renovations required to house the Talbott line cost $50,000 (split between the store and the Talbott company). That’s what it cost to build the entire Homer Reed Ltd. store when it relocated to 1717 Tremont Place in 1975.
When Reed first opened his store, neckties sold for $2.50. Today they are priced from $55 to $115. And while Reed and his then-partner Warren Vollhaber took in $56,000 that first year of business, the three stores can now do that on a strong day during the holiday season.
“It’s all inflation,” said Mark Reed, 55, who purchased the company from his father five years ago.
Some things have stayed exactly the same. The top sellers, then and now, are blue blazers, gray slacks, white shirts and striped ties.
The downtown store has benefited from its location across from the Brown Palace Hotel. The client list reads like the VIP list at a Hollywood party, with names such as Elizabeth Taylor, Bruce Willis and Sammy Davis Jr.
Homer Reed also has outfitted some of the most elite names in Denver business, including the Boettchers and Van Schaacks. It has managed to weather the ups and downs of the Denver economy, as well as a shift to more casual office attire.
The business has grown to include outposts in Cherry Creek North and the Denver Tech Center, but the Reeds are steadfast in their commitment to downtown. The store has outlasted competitors and remains the only full-service men’s clothing store downtown.
“There were some pretty tough times for retail downtown,” said Tami Door, head of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “The retailers that stuck it out have an extremely loyal customer following. That creates a loyalty to downtown shopping and helps other retailers in the area.”
While some chain retailers have ventured downtown to developments such as the Denver Pavilions, Mark Reed says he believes the scene still has a long way to go. The key is bringing even more residents, he said.
“We have to have more people living downtown. It’s still totally empty on the weekends,” he said. A grocery store like Whole Foods would help move things along. “Someone’s got to take a chance,” he said. “A big retailer has got to take a chance on downtown.”
Whether or not that happens, the Reeds say they’ll continue to draw customers who seek out their customer service.
“It’s the incredible customer service that has distinguished them,” said customer Bruce James, chief executive and managing partner of Brownstein Hyatt & Farber. “It’s nothing short of extraordinary.”
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-954-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
