by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
After 82 years of dressing Jacksonville’s gentlemen, the Young Men’s Shop will close its doors for good early next year and say goodbye to its 10 employees and countless loyal customers. The long-time clothier at 400 N. Main St. is the latest downtown business to fall victim to downtown development.
In the name of progress, the Better Jacksonville Plan is giving — and taking. Mayor John Delaney’s massive city improvement referendum will give downtown a new main library to replace an under-capacity, 35-year-old facility. In the way of progress are several businesses, including the Young Men’s Shop, which is on the site for the proposed library’s parking garage.
“We found out in May that the City wanted to acquire the property when an appraiser for the City came knocking on our door,” said co-owner Michael Lissner. “The City wants to take possession Feb. 4.”
Lissner faced two possibilities: find a new location or call it quits, ending eight-plus decades of business.
“The City has been very fair and very willing to work with us as far as relocations,” he said. “The City doesn’t just come along and put you out.”
The City suggested several alternative locations, but none afforded on-site parking and ease of access that his current store has. He didn’t want to alienate his loyal patrons by moving and the suburbs were out of the question.
“Being downtown, you really have the four corners of the city at your disposal,” he explained. “You’re in the heart of everything. It’s where we’ve always been and we’ve always enjoyed business from all sides of the city. [Customers] can get to downtown. They know where downtown is. But if I went out to Tinseltown or something like that, half the people wouldn’t know where it is or how to get there.”
Instead, Lissner and co-owner Betty Moss decided to close the store in January.
“I have very much mixed emotions,” said Moss. “But we just don’t have a choice.”
The Young Men’s Shop was founded in 1919 by Louis Moss, the older brother of Betty’s husband Rudy. Over the years, the store drifted north from its original Bay Street location until eventually settling into its current spot in 1974.
During its 82-year run, the clothing store has endured the ebbs and flows of downtown commerce. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the clothier rode a wave of prosperity, bringing in almost $1 million annually. During the Great Depression in the 1930s pocket money was scarce. Rudy Moss coped by initiating a payment plan.
“My husband started the 10-Pay Plan when conditions were very poor,” said Betty Moss. “The 10-Pay Plan was they would pay $10 a week on whatever they bought. That’s when we opened charge accounts. It paid off.”
Lissner married into the family and came to work for the store in 1960, eventually becoming part owner.
Through the company’s various moves, society’s fashion trends and the rise and fall downtown’s vitality, the Young Men’s Shop has been able hang onto one constant — its customers.
“We have had wonderful customers all through the years,” said Moss. “Their children and grandchildren have traded with us.”
Added Lissner: “There are not many shoppers downtown. We are a destination. We have some long-standing customers . . . some of them are fourth-generation customers.”
At the heart of the Young Men’s Shop’s demise is irony. Lissner was a member of the Downtown Development Authority under three mayors. Appointed by Tommy Hazouri in 1989, Lissner took an active role in the revitalization of downtown.
“I was part of that group that got the city pointed in the direction it’s headed now,” he said.
His activism in the community may have pushed himself right out of business but Lissner isn’t bitter.
“I realize progress is the way of the future,” he said. “It’s important to our city. The Better Jacksonville Plan, I’m a proponent of. It’s very good for the city. It displaces me and I feel bad about that. I’m not ready to retire or close but that’s the way it is.”
At 63, Lissner says he would have started winding down in another few years and perhaps retire by 70 had the Better Jacksonville Plan not hastened his plans. Under a compressed timetable, he plans to have a liquidation sale starting at the end of November through Jan.10. After that, it’ll be cleaning-up and a final goodbye.
“I hate change,” he said. “I would drive my first car if it was running. I’m married to the same wife for 41 years. We’ve only lived in two houses all our lives. I’ve always fought change but this not is something you can fight. I’m not remorseful.”