STRICTLY BUSINESS: CLOTHING STORE IN BUSINESS 100 YEARS

The Glik family has been selling merchandise for well over a century.

During the mid- to late-1880s, a Joseph Glik sold merchandise from a horse-drawn wagon in northern Missouri and southern Iowa.

Later Glik moved his family to St. Louis and settled in as a clerk in a clothing store.

In 1897, Joseph Glik opened his own store, a small menswear operation on North Broadway Street in St. Louis.

That's where the Glik retail clothing chain story really starts.

"We're having a century anniversary celebration this year," said Jeff Glik, who is now president of a company that has 52 Glik's stores in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri -- including a 3,000-square-foot operation in West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau.

"We are pleased with our operation at Cape Girardeau," said Glik. "We empower our managers to operate their stores to the needs of the people in their area. Our manager and assistant manager at Cape Girardeau are doing that."

Janine Starnes is manager of the store here. Starnes has more than 15 years in management experience and has worked in retail sales for eight years. Sue Case is assistant manager.

First Cape store in 1986

The Glik operation started here in 1986, opening in downtown Cape Girardeau. The store moved to West Park Mall nine years ago.

The Glik group's goal is five stores a year.

"We're looking to open three new stores in Indiana this spring," said Jeff Glik.

In an industry marked by steady turnover and tough competition, it's a feat to stay in business 100 years. The feat is even more impressive when ownership remains in the same family that long.

"We're starting our centennial celebration Wednesday," said Glik. "We feel this is a success story worth telling."

Glik uses a strong management team, aggressive marketing, savvy buying and personal services to keep its businesses going.

The Glik's group includes a number of different operations -- Glik Sports, $10 And Less and Glik Stores

Joe Glik is chief executive officer of the company; a son, Jeff Glik is president of the firm. Jim Glik is vice president of men's merchandising and is responsible for men's and boys' apparel. Judy Glik, also a vice president, oversees and buys for $10 And Less, and shoes.

Remains family-owned

The company has always been willing to change with the times, said Jeff Glik. "That, and our associates at each operation, have been key ingredients that have enabled us to prosper and grow during the past 100 years."

Glik's is one of the oldest family-owned retail apparel operations in the nation.

During an environment where so many retailers are closing up shop, Glik's continues to grow, said Jeff Glik. "What makes this an even more compelling story is that as the Glik Co. prepares to enter its second century, it remains a family-owned and operated business.

The Glik name has been associated with retail clothing for more than 115 years.

Joe Glik's grandfather, Joseph Glik, came to the United States in the 1880s, and for more than a decade he sold clothing and dry goods to merchants in rural Iowa and Missouri. In 1891 he moved to the St. Louis area and worked as a salesman at various clothing shops on North Broadway, before opening his own store.

Many of Glik's customers at his St. Louis store lived in the Illinois communities of Granite City, Madison and Venice. Many families from those areas also worked in St. Louis and were ferried to their jobs from Illinois. Once on the Missouri side, they found it convenient to shop in the stores that dotted North Broadway on their way to work or after work.

Into the Illinois market

Glik's entry into the Illinois market was enhanced when Glik's son, Morris, completed high school and was put in charge of a new store at Madison.

The store was called Good Luck Stores. It later became the Boston Store, a common name for clothing stores throughout the nation at the turn of the century.

The name Boston was associated with urbanity and good taste; therefore, a store by that name denoted fineness and high quality."

Morris Glik became active in his community and was an early financial supporter of St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Granite City. The store grew, and in 1915 moved to larger quarters.

As the full-line department store concept took hold, a 10,000-square-foot Glik's department store was constructed in 1925 at Third and Madison Avenue marked by a new name, "Glik's."

Morris Glik died in 1945, while his son, Joe, was in the service. Mrs. Glik (Elsie) managed the store until Joe returned from the service and graduated from Washington University. Joe Glik -- the third generation -- then assumed management of the business.

It wasn't until the mid-1950s the Glik chain really started.

In 1954, with strip-shopping centers emerging, Joe Glik kept pace with the times. He opened a department store in a Granite City strip-shopping center, which concentrated on men's, women's and children's apparel as well as shoes.

The store was successful. Glik opened six more stores in strip centers in Madison and St. Clair counties. Customers soon started to recognize the Glik name in such communities as Granite City, Alton, Godfrey, Belleville, Edwardsville and Cahokia.

Growth in 1980s and 1990s

During the 1980s, Joe Glik's sons, Jeff and Jim, joined the family operation. Several specialty-store concepts were introduced. Glik's Ltd. targeted the 18-to-25-year-old crowd; Glik's for Guys opened in shopping malls in St. Louis and Illinois.

By the end of the 1980s, the company had grown to 24 operations.

Glik's is enjoying even greater success in the 1990s, due to its newest concept of stores, ~$10 And Less, a group of 14 men's and women's apparel stores that sell everything for $10 or less.

Judy Glik joined the company after experience in other retail stores, both specialty and department, to head the $10 And Less operation. The first $10 And Less store was established in Highland, Ill., in fall 1988.

Glik's, which operates Missouri stores in Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Festus, Arnold, Chesterfield, Crestwood Plaza and Jamestown Mall, is now poised to meet the challenges for the next century with hopes of keeping it "all in the family."

B. Ray Owen is business editor for the Southeast Missourian.