Our Story: Bell's Fine Clothing in Winchester, VA

THE SECRET IS OUT! Bell Clothes Shop is CELEBRATING 100 years in the Shenandoah Valley! Prior to moving his Bell Clothes Shop operation to Winchester in 1931, Samuel Gilbert Shendow opened his first store in Front Royal, VA, on October 31, 1925.

Samuel Gilbert Shendow, who left Greensburg, Pennsylvania after graduating from high school, made his way to Washington, D.C., by 1919 – following stops in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Richmond. Soon after his arrival in the Capital, he was hired by The Bell Clothes Shop and its ever-expanding franchise, which at the time boasted two stores in Washington, D.C., two in New York City; and one each in Baltimore, Norfolk, Chattanooga, and Pittsburgh.

Prior to opening his first store, Gilbert Shendow introducing Bell Clothes to Shenandoah Valley residents of Strasburg, Front Royal and Winchester –through his traveling salesman initiative representing his Washington D.C. mentors. His plan was to invigorate the Washington store’s sales by building a new client base away from the capitol.

Each time the resourceful Shendow arrived in town, he would solicit patrons either by newspaper advertisements, or by slipping the postman 25 cents to spread the word that the clothier from Washington D.C. was in town. ‘Go see him in room xx,’ Hotel Machir (Strasburg), –or Hotel Jack (Winchester), or in the Afton Inn (Front Royal. At these makeshift hotel-offices, he consulted on styles and fabric selection. After taking precise measurements, which he carried back to the D.C. store, the fine suits were carefully tailored and delivered back to the Shenandoah Valley clients. It was the ultimate in customer service. Soon Shendow had a loyal following of gentlemen who anxiously awaited his arrival. Known as “Mr. Bell,” Shendow offered the area’s hard-to-fit customer – the short, the extra- long, the portly – the opportunity to own a perfectly tailored suit

Recognizing opportunity to strike out on his own in the valley, Samuel Gilbert Shendow chartered a new business in 1925 with the encouragement and support of the original founders. The Bell Clothes Brand made its Shenandoah Valley debut on October 31, 1925, in Front Royal, Virginia. On the eve of the grand opening, Gilbert celebrated in style- hosting an orchestra in front of the new store. For several years, the Front Royal location commanded his full attention until the Great Depression struck. Forced to adapt, he shifted focus northward to the larger city of Winchester in 1931. –See timeline below. The hard times and humble beginnings were met –and ultimately overcome –by his grit, vision, and tenacity. Now, one hundred years later, we joyfully celebrate the monumental day – the day Bell Clothes first entered the Shenandoah Valley. One day at a time. One client at a time. One hundred years later, we simply can’t say thank you enough.

Today, three generations later, Shendow’s son Irvin, and grandsons Scott and Stephen keep alive the founder’s entrepreneurial spirit. They fill the store with superior quality, hand-picked clothing and accessories purchased on regular trips to New York’s fashion district and other leading fashion venues in the US and Europe. They get to know their customers personally, continuing the legacy of first-rate customer service.

Bell Clothes and the Shendow Family extend our sincere gratitude to our client friends –and to their forefathers—for their many years of patronage. The 100^th Anniversary of the Bell Clothes brand is upon us –thanks to you, the dedication of our wonderful professional staff through the years, and the creativity and collaboration of our valued manufacturers.

THANK YOU!
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1925