For some readers, this might be a big, “Duh!” but stick with me.
It’s not every day that I need a suit. In fact – and I’m a little embarrassed to admit this – but I actually didn’t own a suit as of yesterday. While I was married in a suit (and a rather sharp one at that,) that was 8 years ago and the thing didn’t fit properly anymore. Plus there was the time I accidentally threw the pants into the wash. The wool pants. Which were ruined. Yeah. So I had a mismatched jacket and pants set, but not a suit.
I not only needed a suit quickly, but due to my short stature the thing would need to be altered – and all of this done before the weekend. A couple of days ago I scoured the area. I went to Nordstrom Rack, Nordstrom, Macy’s, JCPenney (even!), Joseph A. Bank, and even called Target, figuring that the suit didn’t have to be perfect. I struck out everywhere. Some places didn’t have my size; others didn’t have a simple basic navy or grey suit; others were just kinda slimy. I mean, $1100 for a suit at Joseph A. Bank? It’ll be on sale next week for $99. No.
After doing a little recon I checked out a Brooks Brothers outlet store. I know they’re not the same as the actual stores, yes, but again – in a pinch, I figured it’d be fine. Despite being told on the phone they had what I needed, they actually didn’t. An hour’s drive and a desperate salesperson equaled no suit for me. Whew.
I knew there was another Nordstrom on the way back to my place, and while the gentleman at the Nordstrom I’d visited the day before did check inventory, I figured I had nothing to lose. I called and spoke with a man in the suiting department, Jose. I told him the deal. He put me on hold for a minute and… had my suit. My size, my color, a non-crappy brand. I told him that I’d need it altered for sure, but I’d need it the next day at the latest. No problem, he said. I was starting to feel a little calmer.
Made it to the store relatively quickly and, boom, there was Jose and my suit. I tried it on and it looked fantastic. A few minutes later, the tailor came down and worked with us to mark it up. I was bowled over. In less than 20 minutes I had gotten the suit, tried it on, had it fully checked out by two people, and was ready to go.
I’m not sure why I had such a hard time finding a suit, but Jose totally came through for me. Nordstrom isn’t a place I can shop all the time, for sure. But it’s good to know that they’ve rightly earned their reputation for great customer service. Dig it.
Posted in Consumer Commentary, Everyday Life