Style or Saffees? It's hard to argue which came first, but the family-owned store has been bringing distinctive fashions to generations of discriminating women in Jefferson City and beyond.
For the past 40 years, Judy Howard has reigned over the business and can usually be found at the "mother store" at 227 E. High St. in downtown Jefferson City, the third Saffees location during 93 years of operations. Over the years, as her four siblings entered the business, Saffees Inc., has expanded to three other locations - the Stonecrest Mall at Osage Beach, the Oak Park Mall in Overland Park and a free-standing store in downtown Lawrence, Kansas. Saffees also owns and operates Envy stores geared to college girls in downtown Columbia, Springfield and Lawrence.
The third generation, Howard and her siblings learned the business from their father, Sam, and mother, Lorraine Mercurio.
"Mom and Dad discussed the business around us all the time, and we all worked there," Howard said.
"When I was 11 or 12, we hand wrote the tickets, and when we had sales, we were in the store on weekends helping to mark the clothes down," she said. "This was during the days when customers had in-house store charges, and we would also stuff, seal and stamp those statements."
"Mom and Dad were great teachers," she said.
As a co-owner and buyer, Howard has a keen eye for fashion trends. Whether working with a client in the store or for those modeling her clothes in fashion shows for multiple charity events, she knows what works, what's hot and what's not and can help women find just the right something for their specific body type.
"I want to make women look gorgeous and encourage and empower them, but I never deceive a customer either," she said. "I outfit a woman from head to toe with shoes and accessories and make them the star of the show."
Along with her seasoned staff, Howard meets one-on-one to assist the customer and help them buy the right items for the season. Being attuned to their wants and needs along with her own intuition helps when she goes to the markets to determine what to buy for the store.
"One year, I saw that wide leg and flair pants were big. But my clients still liked tight leggings worn with long tops so that's what we continued to buy," Howard said.
Always stylish, Howard, the mother of three children, is a great example for her clients.
"People would always tell my mother that they wanted their clothes to look like they did on her, but she always wanted everyone to look as good or better," she said. "I want people to be confident and look their best all the time."
Q. Who has invested in you and your career?
A. "My mother invested in my success and was my biggest advocate. My mother is 91 years old and still goes to work every day. My entire life, she pushed me to work hard and to keep going no matter what got in the way."
Q. What choices have you made to invest in yourself and your own success?
A. "I try to constantly make myself better at my career. I never want to be complacent. I want to be ahead of change and bring unique looks to our store that will delight our customers. I'm always looking for new lines to try out and educating myself on new trends. I build relationships with people in the industry that will make me better and make our store successful."
Q. What do you think are the biggest issues still facing women in the workplace?
A. "One big thing I think women deal with is a lot of assumptions about our roles in business. I've experienced that myself in my career. Whenever I walked into a room with my brother to see a new vendor, people would assume my brother was the buyer. They would direct all the questions to my brother instead of me. I had to be assertive and make it clear that they would be dealing with me. That's why I encourage all women to be decisive and think on their feet. I want to empower women I interact with to build their own careers and be proud of what they accomplish."
Q. What drives you most in life and in your career?
A. "The satisfaction of a customer and watching a customer grow. It's incredible to see someone grow up in front of your eyes and to be a part of the special events that happen in their lives. You wait on them for a homecoming outfit or a prom dress, and then one day they come in looking for an interview suit. Then, all of a sudden, they have a child getting married and need a formal gown. You're part of their lives and go through all of it with them. You do everything you can to make them happy, and it's really special."
Q. What advice would you give to a woman entering the workforce?
A. "I would tell them to throw their shoulders back, make decisions and stand by them. Women need to be confident no matter what. I see women in our store all the time, either working there or shopping there, and I tell them, 'You're going places, you're a mover and a shaker.' I see the next step for them, and I know they can achieve more than they think is possible. But, you have to be willing to change. You can't get stuck in the same routine or the same job. You have to be willing to adapt to change and to lead change."
See the full October 2016 edition of #jcmo Inside Business here.