With a father and grandfather in the fashion industry, Carl Sterr II wanted to go his own way. But, he still wanted to dress the part. “Back in 1973, at the age of 18, I was going to work on the railroad,” he says. “There's a picture of me wearing overalls, a work shirt, work boots, a railroad cap, and work gloves with the big gauntlets on them.”
When he showed up, this fresh-faced kid from Grosse Pointe Woods was told by some hard-scrabbled workers that he looked ridiculous. “That was my first night on the job,” says Carl, laughing. “However, here's the moral of the story— my dad always taught me that whatever you’re going to do, dress the part.”
Six and a half years later, after deciding the railroad life wasn’t for him, he joined his father, Dick, at his clothing store. Carl was not only dressing the part for his new career, but dressing others as well. Three years later, with his father’s blessing, he opened his own store in Birmingham, Michigan, at the age of 28.
After many incarnations, the store, now known as Carl Sterr 1922, is an institution for men’s high-end clothing lines and impeccable service, and carries on a tradition started by his grandfather in that very year. “Opening that store is the best thing I've ever done for me, my dad, and my younger brother Rich, who took over a really nice position in my father's business.” Richard actually ended up owning that business when their father retired. Many years later, the brothers now work together in Carl’s shop.
“It's a place to meet up, and a place to relax in these tumultuous times,” says Richard. “Carl has taken care of these wonderful people for over 44 years, and I'm so blessed to be part of that.” The fashion industry, he says, is literally in their blood.
Working together allows the two to collaborate and share their individual ideas and styles. “Most importantly, we've been best friends since I can remember, so we want to always protect that relationship, and we have,” says Carl. “There's a healthy collaboration that I respect.”
Along with bringing his brother on board last year, he has also structured a whole new team. “It's paid major dividends to the extent that we'll end up being close to 50% ahead of last year's figures come July 31, and that doesn’t happen by accident.”
Reasons for this, adds Carl, include the tremendous synergy with Richard, and a great brand manager in Jeff Smith. “He has built a marketing and social media campaign which has allowed us to disseminate the intricacies of our brand.”
Carl especially loves being able to relate everything about the store using reels. In his opinion, they capture the essence of the business by telling a really compelling story.
The story, of course, is fashion, and although it may change throughout the years, dressing one’s best never goes out of style. “Dressing well is a commitment to those that you come into contact with,” says Carl. “It's a way to open doors and converse with an absolute stranger who compliments and smiles at you. Even if it's just for 30 seconds, it's an opportunity to connect with another human being that you might not have connected with otherwise.”
Dressing for the occasion, regardless of the venue, also has other fringe benefits. “If you want to get really good service, then that’s what you do, along with speaking politely. People want to feel valued, and when you dress well for them, they do.”
CarlSterr1922.com