Thirty years on the fashion rack

Thirty years ago Friday (May 1, 1985), Peggy Strabel opened the doors on Peggy’s Fashion Rack in Siren. To mark the occasion, she’s having a two-day sale.

It was a year when clothing stores abounded — not only in Siren but in nearby towns as well

"There’s a lot of people who never thought I’d make it but I knew I would," Strabel said with a wry smile. "I’m not a quitter."

Even the quickest tours of the store will prove that Strabel’s focus is ladies clothing.

"That’s our primary focus but we have basic menswear, clothes for kids, NFL gear, (although she leans a little toward the green and gold), Wisconsin Badger gear, formal wear and gifts," she explained.

She’s been renting tuxedos for 15 years and Mother of the Bride outfits since 2002.

"We also started offering swim wear for the whole family because of where we are situated and the same goes for souvenir tee-shirts and sweatshirts," she added.

She said it is tough to keep up with the times.

"What women are wearing today and what they wore 30 years ago are night and day," Strabel observed. "I might show something to a 70 year-old woman and she’ll tell me ‘Oh, that’s something my mother would wear.’"

So maybe 70 is the new 50?

Strabel said she’s forever going to markets to see the new fashions and keeping track of new trends so she knows what to buy.

"I believe the community needs us," she said.

As a fashion merchandising college graduate, selling clothes is in her blood.

"I really like what I do," she said simply. "I really care about my customers — I don’t sell them something just to make a sale."

Strabel added children’s books to her line-up last year.

"That’s been very well received," Strabel pointed out. "Even though we live in an electronic world, parents and grandparents are still going to read to their kids or grandkids."

Speaking of electronics, Strabel is not one to shy from what moves merchandise.

"I have a huge email list of shoppers who get, by email, whatever promotion we are featuring in the store," she pointed out. "Some of those customers will even get an extra coupon for exclusive savings."

"If people ‘like me’ on facebook, they’ll see the specials that way," she continued.

But she insists word-of-moth advertising is still the best.

"People will see someone wearing a dress and ask where they got it — I get a lot of business that way," she remarked.

Without giving away all the secrets, Strabel said he will be offering, for the first time ever, an in-store trunk show, starting at 10 a.m. both days.

She’s also offering 30 percent off on regular-priced goods on the main floor.

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