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News
Schweser's to Open New Store in Oskaloosa, IA
Schweser's Stores is proud to announce that it will open a new store in Oskaloosa, Iowa, October 3rd. Along with 7 other stores in Iowa, This is the 29th store for the company. The 5,000 square foot store will be located in the Penn Central Mall in downtown Oskaloosa.
Schweser's Stores, Inc. is a Midwest fashion icon with roots that date back to the 1880 when immigrant George Schweser opened the first general store in David City, Nebraska. His son, Fred Schweser, opened the company's second store in Columbus, Nebraska in 1929. The company, which is still owned and managed by the same family, now operates 29 stores in 6 Midwestern states. The closest store to Oskaloosa is in downtown Centerville, Iowa which opened in 2007.
Schweser's specializes in fashion apparel for misses, petite, and plus sizes, along with a full assortment of children's apparel. The fashion departments include Dresses, Coats, Casual wear, Career wear, and Coordinating Groups. The store also carries a wide selection of accessories and gifts. The company operates entirely in the Midwest, which allows it to carry exclusive fashions that cater to the sensibilities of Midwestern women.
Schweser's operates primarily in small towns with populations of 5,000 to 20,000 people. The company has served the women in small towns since its inception and it continues to focus primarily on these markets. "We like to operate in small towns because we can actually get to know the fashion tastes of a particular town. The people of the town get to know you and trust you, which builds loyalty. Plus, there are significant underserved populations in small towns right now who do not want to spend their time and money traveling to the bigger cities. We have heard from many people in Oskaloosa who felt that our store would be a great fit for the community, and we are confident that this is true," said company president Ty Smith.
The Schwewer's philosophy is to offer personal service to our loyal customers while carrying brand name clothing at discounted prices. To maintain the lower retail prices the company makes purchases weekly form the major fashion markets. The company maintains relationships with major suppliers in order to buy opportunistically, while other larger department stores often miss out. The company is able to negotiate bulk prices for goods and ships them directly to its headquarters and distribution center in Fremont, Nebraska for ticketing and distribution to a six-state region.
"Oskaloosa is the right kind of town for Schweser's. We only operate in small, but strong Midwestern towns. We feel we can offer women of these towns something they cannot find at other retailers. We offer personal service, fashions designed specifically for them, prices they can afford, and the convenience of shopping without having to travel long distances. After they shop at Schweser's they won't even want to travel to the larger cities to do their shopping." said company president, Ty Smith
The company also noted that it plans on staying in Oskaloosa for a very long time. "We have always operated under the principle that slow and steady wins the race," said Mr. Smith. "We are very careful to make sure that we open new stores in the right towns, in the right space, with the right lease. We do not open stores quickly or with tremendous frequency, but we also do not close many stores. I am confident that we will have a very successful store in Oskaloosa."
With a 129 year history of fashion, value, honesty, and service, Schweser's has been able to expand its business based upon its successes. This investment in Oskaloosa is another sign of this success and represents Schweser's commitment to serving the community of Oskaloosa for many years to come.