Attention to Retail

Buy Local Month may be winding down, but there is no reason to limit your Syracuse spending to November. There is nearly another whole month of holiday shopping time left on the calendar, and plenty of independent stores dot the landscape so you can spend your money locally. The Syracuse New Times recently checked in on five local retailers that have survived decades of retail changes and passing trends. Consider visiting them this holiday shopping season as you are checking your lists.

 

Ra-Lin

For as long as Lewis Radin can remember, Ra-Lin has specialized in electronics and appliance sales. But the business actually started in Mattydale in 1953 as something of a general store. After a brief residency on Butternut Street, Ra-Lin opened its current building at 625 Burnet Ave. in 1960, with plenty of space for larger household needs. 

“Baby furniture was big for a period of time,” Radin recalls. “In the 1950s we even sold things like aspirin.”

Somehow, Ra-Lin has outlasted decades of retail trends and population shifts. Being independent enables Radin to turn on a dime and change products according to customer demand. The key, he says, is being ready for just about anything. 

“If it was easy, more people would be doing it,” Radin admits. “Sometime, it’s not how smart you are; it’s how adaptable you are.”

Radin says Ra-Lin has been quick to embrace changes that have occurred even within specific product lines. Cameras, for example, have completely changed over the past 10 years. But for a retailer with an established client base in camera sales and other photography-related services, the market shift was tolerable. Even with the proliferation of digital photography and computer printing, Ra-Lin still has a sizable photo finishing market.

Ra-Lin stays competitive with national “big box” retailers as part of a co-op of independent stores, giving those retailers the same buying power. “Being big isn’t necessarily the key to surviving,” Radin says with a smile.

The one thing that hasn’t changed is Ra-Lin’s commitment to customer service. “We have a pretty large staff of people who know what they are talking about,” Radin says. “People want to talk with someone who can answer specific questions. And they want to be waited on quickly.”

Many of Ra-Lin’s 40 staffers—35 of those full-timers—have been with the store for more than 20 years. Alan Pousher, Radin’s business partner of 30 years, says treating the staff well keeps turnover low. 

Despite Ra-Lin’s status as a retail landmark, Radin and Pousher recognize the importance of having a vibrant online presence. Updating the website is now a task too big to be done in-house. “It is impossible to update everything we sell ourselves,” Radin says, adding that while online sales are a small portion of the store’s overall business, having a detailed site allows customers to research a purchase prior to visiting the store. So, it quite possibly encourages walk-in business. 

Pousher says he’s not concerned about Internet sales on other sites having a negative impact on Ra-Lin’s bottom line. “There’s always been mail-order business, catalog sales. This really isn’t much different,” he says. “Online has just replaced the catalogs.”

As a youngster, Radin often did menial tasks in the basement offices. But he much prefers getting out on the sales floor: It’s what confirmed his decision to stay with the family business. “One of the rewards of this work is that you get to meet a lot of people,” he says. “That’s still fun”

Pousher, who met Radin when both were students at Nottingham High School, was drawn to the store because of its commitment to customer service, and that’s still what he is most proud of today. “Customer service has always been No. 1, and it always will be,” he says. Want proof? Consider Radin’s approach to the current holiday shopping season. “We’re beating the bushes to get the best deals for people,” he boasts. He’s done it for decades; why stop now?

Ra-Lin is open Mondays through Thursdays and Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For store information, call 472-7766 or 472-7872 (for sporting goods, 472-7874) or visit ralins.com.

DeJulio’s Army & Navy Store

Rick DeJulio (photographed below) knows who his customers are. And he knows they probably won’t be in the market for a magenta-colored jacket anytime soon—even if it is manufactured by Carhartt. “We sell work wear, mostly,” he says, standing at the register at his family’s store which has stood at 666 Burnet Ave. on the corner of Lodi Street since 1942. “We get a lot of repeat, loyal customers and they like quality products that are basic and functional. We don’t go with trends, or get into the fashion stuff.”

DeJulio’s grandfather, Frank A. DeJulio, was a shoe cobbler when he came to the United States from Italy, but he quickly saw a void in the market for specialized footwear and military apparel. Camping gear and a smattering of work wear followed. It’s a market the DeJulio family has continued to serve for seven decades. 

Work footwear remains the most profitable aspect of business. For specialized items like steel-toed boots, customers are more likely to want to come in and try the boots on than to risk ordering them online. Rick says that’s where well-trained staff makes the difference. “We’re here to help,” he says. “Knowledge about the product is important. Fit is important.” 

Several members of the DeJulio family can still be found working at the store on any given day—particularly Rick’s brother Dan and son Todd, a fourth-generation full-timer. “I always gave my kids the option {to work at the store}. But I didn’t really push it on them,” Rick says.

Todd DeJulio, 31, has worked full time in the family business for the last 10 years. After considering a career in golf course management, he embraced his retail legacy. “I realized that I’d rather be here,” he says. And while he and his father don’t agree on everything, Todd says he envisions the store continuing much as it has under his grandfather, uncle and father’s steady leadership. 

“It’s pretty cool that people know who we are,” Todd says. “I’m proud of what my family created and that it has survived all these years. This town is only so big and can only handle so much retail. One day, I might want to see things get bigger and better, but the economy is always a factor in this city.”

Rick DeJulio says the store does see a significant bump in business this time of year, especially from women. Often they are shopping for the men in their lives, and appreciate the staff’s expertise. Unlike other retailers, however, the DeJulios haven’t had much success expanding their product offerings for women. “We carry a few basic items, but I haven’t seen a big demand,” Rick says. 

Outerwear sales are influenced by the weather, and since many items are ordered months in advance, a warm winter can mean overstock. “Nobody was in here buying boots last winter,” Rick says with a laugh. “But we need to have stock available because you never know what will happen.”

Like Ra-Lin down the Burnet Avenue block, DeJulio’s is able to offer competitive pricing because of its membership in a retail co-op. While the store does some online sales, Rick says most customers use the website to learn more about the products they are interested in. They would rather come into the store to purchase them.

 “Most people use our site as an informational tool,” he says. “People still like to put things on; they like to feel the fabric or the weight of a boot. If they are buying something they need for work, it has to fit right.”

DeJulio’s Army & Navy Store is open Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The store is also open on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., through December. Call 479-8170 or visit dejulios.com.

Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply

If you’re looking for M. John Kupperman, you probably won’t find him sitting behind the desk in the modest office of his store, Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply, 500 Erie Blvd. E. He’s more likely to be on the sales floor; fielding questions from employees on an upcoming shipment, while helping a customer find a “certain” kitchen item, just as a call from one of his commercial clients comes in. 

Kupperman, great-great-grandson of founder Hyman Smith, confidently juggles the various aspects of his family business—which started in 1894 from a horse-drawn wagon. Smith has been in its current home—a sprawling, red, three-story Erie Canal-era warehouse—since 1946.

What started as a small crockery business now has three main components: retail sales, local commercial sales and government contracts. Smith offers anything a restaurateur could ask for, and its rows of pans, professional-grade cooking tools and small appliances can be a test in restraint for even the most casual home chef.

While retail sales are still the bulk of his business, Kupperman cherishes the connections his family has with local eateries through its commercial sales. “We have great relationships with local restaurant owners,” he says. “As those local folks go, so we go. Right now, things are good. There is a core of successful operators in Syracuse, and almost all of those restaurants are family-run.”

Kupperman opened a second store in Watertown five years ago to tap into the sizable restaurant business in the Thousand Islands region. “You’ve got a lot of restaurant owners that have learned how to earn a living in a very short summer season,” he says. “Again, most of those are family-run; you really can’t be successful any other way.”

In addition to the nifty gadgets, Hyman Smith Coffee—and the coffee shop named after it—continues to draw people into the store. Kupperman has also spent considerable time establishing a strong online presence. He figures the site gets about 50 hits a day.

But he believes “the tide is turning” for Internet sales; there’s more to retail than quick and easy. Manufacturers are starting to see the benefits of using brick-and-mortar distributors who know the product lines, and know their buyers. For example, Smith carries a particular line of chef-quality cooking knives that customers are unable to purchase directly from the manufacturer. 

These relationships also benefit the customers. “We know what works,” Kupperman says. “Even the high-end stuff gets returned if we get a lot of complaints about it.” 

Smith currently employs 12, down from 30 in the 1980s. Kupperman says computer technology has reduced the amount of office staff needed to run day-to-day operations. Like the staff at Ra-Lin, many have been with the store for years and are considered family—as in three generations. 

“I have a grandma, a dad and his son working here,” Kupperman says. “I try to make it as comfortable as possible for employees. We want a positive work environment.” 

And that translates into more customers. Kupperman says about 100,000 customers a year walk through his doors. “Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising,” he says. “Everybody knows we’re here.”

Kupperman is hopeful that with more people choosing to live downtown, walk-in business will grow. “It’s been wonderful to see people walking here from their apartments for coffee, or just out walking their dogs. Great things are happening downtown right now.”

Looking back, Kupperman says he has always figured he would play a large role in continuing the business. “My grandfather suggested that I study law—as a backup plan,” he says with a laugh. “But by the time I was in college I knew this was what I would be doing. It’s all I’ve ever done. It’s all I’ve ever known.”

Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply is open Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information, call 474-8731 or visit smithrestaurant.com.

Sacks

While DeJulio’s found its customer base in the working families on the city’s North Side, Joseph Sacks had already been supplying gear to the men working on the New York Central Railroad and its East Syracuse freight yards since 1921. Today, the third generation of family owners remains committed to a similar customer base. CSX Transportation now owns those same yards, and is among the village’s largest employers.

“We’re still selling a lot of those same items,” says Hilary Sacks Fuelleborn, an East Syracuse native now living in Philadelphia. She and her brother, Bryan Sacks—Joseph’s great-grandchildren—have been revitalizing the store, located at 131 W. Manlius St., for the past year. 

“There is still a market for Carhartt and Timberland, rugged clothes for real people, as we say,” Fuelleborn says. “Now we also offer more products for women and children.”

Indeed, a visit to the store reveals a vast supply of Carhartt—everything from socks to boots to baby overalls. Timberland boots in every size also dominate the store décor. A smattering of offerings from Columbia and Woolrich are also offered. 

Sacks had closed for about nine months in 2010 before Bryan moved back to East Syracuse from Florida to take his turn running the operation. Hilary and Bryan’s father, Bob, mother Martha, grandfather Nathan, and uncle Myron Sacks had all logged time behind the register over the years. Fuelleborn says when the store was at its busiest, her aunts and uncles would spend much of the day running back and forth from the basement storage, fetching customer requests so the sales staff could provide better service.

The current owners plan to expand their stock to include other kinds of work wear, and plan to build a more comprehensive online presence. “There is a world of options open to customers now,” Fuelleborn says. “We do a lot of special orders.”

They would also like to generate more corporate business. “We have a variety of the work wear, and we can offer volume discounts,” says Fuelleborn. While Bryan handles much of the day-to-day management, Fuelleborn is in town often enough to keep up with what’s going on, and she helps with the more long-term projects. Three employees allow Bryan to leave the store—once in a while.

Fuelleborn says among the things that sets independent stores like Sacks apart from the chain retailers is a personal commitment to the business. “If we’re in the store after hours and somebody knocks on the door, they are not going to be turned away,” she says. “There have been times that Bryan has left his cell phone number on the door so customers can reach him after hours. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called the store after closing, and he’s still there with a customer.”

With a renewed commitment to customer service, and a fresh approach to marketing the store, Fuelleborn is confident Sacks can remain the village anchor store that it has always been. “The village needs small businesses like Sacks to keep the neighborhood vibrant and moving forward,” she says. “It’s tough for small businesses now, and supporting them keeps more of the retail revenues right in the community.”

Sacks is open Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., with longer Saturday hours through December, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dial 437-8942 or visit sacks1921.com.

The Art Store/Commercial Art Supply

Walk into Commercial Art Supply, 935 Erie Blvd. E. on the corner of South Crouse Avenue, and you will likely be assisted by at least one person who has a passion for some form of artistic expression. The store, which stocks nearly 40,000 art-related items, is known for having staff with firsthand knowledge about those products. 

“We have better prices than our competition, but it’s our staff that makes the difference to our customers,” says owner Dave Cohn. “We employ people who use the products, know the products. We put the products in their hands and educate them.”

This wasn’t always the case. The business grew from a Manlius-based hardware store that Cohn’s grandfather, Herb, ran in the late 1960s. As there were no dedicated art supply stores in those days, Herb Cohn took a chance and ordered paints, charcoal and sketch pads. “The stuff showed up and after staring at it for months, he said, ‘I’d better figure out what this is and how to sell it,’” Cohn says.

Herb Cohn became well versed in his art supplies and taught himself how to frame art. Business grew. “Eventually there were several full-time framers working {in the store},” Cohn says. “Most of the customers were commercial users—companies like Carrier, advertising agencies. At that time, anything creative was done by hand.”

On Feb. 20, 1974, the store—and everything in it—was lost in a fire. Less than three months later Cohn’s father, Donald, began re-establishing the art supply and framing business in a small storefront on Erie Boulevard. Commercial clients were the driving force in getting the business back on track, hence the name. 

“My father was an opportunist. This was a gamble,” Cohn says. “Vendors would ship him materials without credit. They believed in him.” 

The gamble paid off. Four years later, Don Cohn built Commercial Art Supply’s current home, closer to downtown, which led to an increase in the commercial clientele. Advertising “creatives” would come in during the day for direct transfer lettering and illustration board. 

But by the 1990s, many presentations were being done on computers, and commercial business dropped dramatically. The Cohns shifted their focus to the retail market; riding creative trends. “Screen printing was very big,” Cohn recalls. “We got into that very early.”

With that, came a name change—sort of. Cohn says the idea was to drop the “commercial” from the store’s title so it would seem more accessible to the general public. The Art Store is a simpler moniker, but longtime customers continue using the original name. Both are still listed on the company website. Cohn says the gradual efforts to phase out “Commercial Art Supply” will continue.

While the store is seen as a supplier to the serious artist, Cohn and his staff also cater to the novice. During the holiday shopping season, they offer many gift options for beginners and children, including preassembled kits with most everything needed to get started in a certain medium, and a gift card to bring those folks into the store. “There has to be an entry point, and it doesn’t have to mean using inferior materials,” Cohn says. 

Picture framing remains a key aspect of the business. The company offers custom framing, same-day turnaround on some orders, and can handle high-volume jobs of 100 or more. It also supplies art and architecture programs at Syracuse University, Onondaga Community College, the Rochester Institute of Technology (a smaller store is located in Rochester), and at several local schools.

Cohn currently employs 30 between the two stores, and plans to open a distribution center in South Florida in the near future to handle the company’s growing Internet sales. “It’s the nature of the beast,” Cohn laments, “but I don’t think the Internet will eliminate brick-and-mortar. There is growth in this current buy-local movement and we don’t ever intend to give up. But adapting is the challenge.” 

Cohn admits that running a family business these days is not for everyone, adding, “You’re never away from it—even when you’re away.” 

Cohn says he still meets people who remember his grandfather’s hardware store. The community had such respect for him that no one thought of asking for compensation for their artwork lost in that 1974 fire. “When I hear stories {about him}, they put a smile on my face every time,” Cohn says. “It’s amazing and special.” 

The Art Store is open Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 474-1000 or visit commercialartsupply.com.