Town and Country Clothes

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Business

With 70 years in business, Town and Country Clothes must be doing something right.

Owner Lauren Basset is dedicated to helping her patrons find their own individual style, providing them with a variety of clothing lines and even creating her own custom jewelry for the store. She understands that by including multiple styles and fashions, she gives her customers a freedom they might not find another place.

“I think it’s nice to have a one-of-a-kind piece and have more variety,” Bassett said. “People can really choose their style here.”

One popular line, Sympli, has an extensive selection of basics as well as unique jackets and tops that can all be cut to order for a customer’s preferred style, color and size.

Truly committed to working to find just the right look for a customer, Bassett goes beyond providing typical simple fashion advice. Staff of Town and Country Clothes uses a computer program that keeps a record of the size, color and style of previous purchases from the store. This proactive system allows customers to coordinate new outfits into their existing wardrobes.

“We know our customers, and they know us,” Bassett said. “We’re going to be honest with them if something isn’t right for them. We won’t let them leave with something they won’t be happy with later.”

Basset took over Town and Country Clothes in 2009, and in addition to keeping the tradition of devoted customer service alive, she has also looked to improve the store where she can. Notably, Bassett worked to give the store a fresh look, with projects such as having the outside repainted. Additionally, she has worked to  stock items for younger clientele.

Keeping the price point between $50 and $150 is important for Bassett. Popular items include Renuar blouses starting at $74 and Baggallini purses starting at $60.

“We want to provide quality without a price that is prohibitive to a lot of people,” Bassett said.

Basset’s attention to quality reaches beyond the scope of the store and into the realm of manufacturing. How the clothes are made carries just as much weight as the clothes’ appearance. For example, Sympli is sewn by women in Canada, and Art of Cloth (another popular brand) is hand dyed in Ohio.

“Many mass merchants have been caught using sweat shops,” she said. “We don’t want to support that.”

Now in its 70th year, Bassett said the store has built a comfortable relationship with customers. The small-town vibe of Crestline helps provide a personal feel to the shopping experience, which is relaxing and familiar to patrons. Bassett makes sure to keep enough staff scheduled in order to ensure one-on-one customer service. She explains how this guarantees shoppers that their trips to the store will not be wasted; they are certain to find just the item they were looking to add to their wardrobes.

Bassett writes a blog on the store’s website townandcountryclothes.com to keep customers updated with new seasonal trends.