Shop Around the Corner
Garrisons Men’s Shop
By Bethany Casella

Owner: Alan Garrison
Address: 89-91 Main St., Wellsboro, PA
Phone: 570-724-3497
Online: www.garrisonsmensshop.com
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.–  5:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.;
Saturday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

A Family Affair: Alan Garrison, owner of Garrisons Men’s Shop, is the third generation of Garrisons to run the shop. The original store, which closed in 1990, was located at the northwest corner of Main Street and Route 6 in Mansfield and opened for business in the late 1800s. Al’s grandfather, Merle Garrison, opened the Wellsboro branch in 1955. The location was previously occupied by Syke Boom’s Men’s Shop. Merle purchased the building after Boom passed away. The current store uses about twice the floor space than it did originally, when it shared space with David’s Sporting Goods. Al’s father, Lewis, bought the Wellsboro store from Merle in 1964, and Al took over in December 1989. When asked whether one of his two young daughters will some day take over the family business, Al says, “It’s too early to tell.”

Customers and Sales: Al is proud to note that Garrisons has always had a “strong local following,” which may be why this shop has “survived the times” while other men’s shops, especially in rural areas, “have diminished.” There may be fewer and fewer men’s shops in small communities, but Garrisons still has faithful customers and the future of this shop seems bright. Besides the locals, many other loyal buyers travel from as far as Harrisburg and upstate New York to shop at the store. “It’s prety amazing  that someone would get in their car and drive all the way from Rochester, New York to shop at Garrison’s in Wellsboro, PA,” Al says.

Although the shop specializes in tuxedoes and suits, you will find a wider variety of casual wear (business casual), local merchandise, and rock and roll music t-shirts. Accessories like hats, canes, gloves, belts, back packs, and other miscellaneous gear are available as well. Garrisons also offers in-house professional tailoring service. Quality, selection, and personalized customer service are the keys to the shop’s success and a way of life to the Garrisons’ staff. Al feels their greatest strength is the attention they pay to the small details.

His Own Boss: Al Garrison, third generation owner of Garrisons, came to the business by degrees. After graduating from college with a business degree, he returned home to help his father with the business, with no intention of taking it over. He became an apprentice and eventually took over the store, a career path that has now become a family tradition. Al seems to have no regrets about the choice he made to continue pursuing his grandfather’s dream. “I like being my own boss,” Al says with a smile. Although his intentions weren’t necessarily to run the family shop, he takes pride in the history of both his family and the business. And “I enjoy it here,” he says about the community and the surrounding mountains, and wishes he could spend more time outdoors.

Bottom Line: Garrisons Men’s Shop may have old-fashioned ideas about how to treat their customers, like personally waiting on individuals that come into the store, but there’s nothing dated about their style. Customers are treated with respect and outstanding service. Al runs the family business with dignity and an eye to perfection, just as the store has been operated for three generations and, he hopes, for many more.

Bethany Casella is an intern at Mountain Home magazine and a senior at Mansfield High School.