New Owners Learn the Trade at Bartel’s Clothing and Shoes

Bartel’s has been a Chehalis staple for nearly a century. Now, the store’s legacy will continue with new owners.

Father-son duo Boyd and Brady Calder have officially taken over Bartel’s from previous owner Joe Mount. While the Calders learn the business, however, Mount will continue working in the store.

Although Boyd Calder said that many aspects of the store will remain the same, the new owners have put special attention on the store’s letterman jackets.

“We’re selling more and that’s probably because we are one of the few places in the region that still sells letterman jackets,” Boyd Calder said. “We have always sold them, it’s just the volume of sales has gone up since we have taken over the store.” 

Boyd Calder said the store has provided letterman jackets for students at many of the surrounding schools, including Toledo, Tenino, Rochester, Adna and Napavine.

“It’s made specific, especially every time it’s a custom jacket so we don’t buy them in bulk,” Brady Calder said. “We don’t bring in a rack of them and just let them sit and wait until someone buys them. … We do everything from each panel of the sleeve to the type of knit, cuffs on the sleeves, collars. The sky is the limit, you can make it as simple or extravagant as you want it to be.”

The jackets are made from Pendleton wool, and every piece of them comes from the U.S.

“There’s not really much else in your life you get to show your accolades and school spirit,” Brady Calder said. “It’s a lifetime jacket, lifetime warranty on both the sewing and the material. If anything goes wrong you can bring it in and get it fixed up.”

Tim Denegar, who is the men’s manager, has worked at the store since the beginning of 2017.

“I think since Brady and Boyd have taken over, we have put more emphasis on the customization of the letterman jackets,” Denegar said. “These kids are coming in and they are full of pride in their communities, and their enthusiasm and their creativity, we’re just running with it. A lot of the process is them. … What these kids are creating along with our tailors and our merchants, it’s really cool.”

While Bartel’s Clothing and Shoes has been in Chehalis since 1922, people’s fashion has changed drastically since then. Mount said that since he first purchased the store in the 1970’s, people’s styles have evolved.

“We have had to change with the times,” Mount said. “When I purchased the store, 70 percent of our business was in suits, sport coats, dress shirts, what I call our dress category. Now 75 percent of our business is in sportswear.”

Brady Calder said he believes that although many people don’t sport the traditional suit and tie, they are still interested in specific items to enhance their style.

“Things are more informal in the sense that you’re not going to wear a suit and tie, but you’ll probably (wear) a sport coat, some jeans, a really nice pair of shoes,” Brady Calder said. “That’s the new formal. So we’re trying to capture the essence of maybe not what’s happening right now, but moving forward.”

Denegar, who has worked under both the previous owner and the Calders, believes people are beginning to dress up more than they have in previous years.

“What I have seen and what I have noticed looking back and doing research is a lot of clothing comes in fads,” Denegar said. “We’re looking to be more on the edge of those things. I’m starting to notice that collectively people are starting to dress a little bit nicer. These high school kids are coming up in button ups and slacks instead of jeans and hoodies. We’re really trying to step our game up and give our customers what they want.”