Family, Fashion: 5 Questions With The Pants Store's Michael Gee

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL - For more than half a century, the Pants Store has been providing clothing to the Birmingham area with an attitude toward customer service that has been passed down for three generations. From one man selling pants from the back of his car to now operating five stores throughout state, the Gee family has continued a legacy - not just selling pants.

The Pants Store began in Leeds in 1950, and has since branched out with additional stores in Mountain Brook, Trussville, Tuscaloosa and Hunstville. And the Gee family is still the heart and soul of the operation.

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Patch hooked up with the Pants Store's Michael Gee to discuss family, fashion and what it takes to keep a business going for nearly 70 years.

The history behind the Pants Store is fascinating. Tell me a little about how the business got to this point.

My grandad was a pant salesman for a variety of companies. He literally sold pants out of the trunk of his car all over the southeast. At one point, he got a small warehouse and stored pants there. People started buying direct from him. People called it “The Pants Store” and the name stuck. His first year in business was 1950. We have evolved a lot over the years. Women’s clothing and shoes make up 70 percent of our business now. Sometimes our name is a bit inhibitive because people think we only sell pants, but we will never change it. We are very proud of it.

How do brick and mortar retail businesses like yours compete with online retailers? What adjustments have you made, if any?

We are online as well. We have our traditional website www.pantsstore.com, and we also sell “deals” through our Pants Store app and through a group on Facebook we call ‘Pants Store VIP.’ People are not going to stop buying clothing or shoes at brick and mortar. People like to try on clothing and shoes for fit. To say that online business hasn’t affected our brick and mortar stores would be crazy, but we still strive to be the best we can in store everyday. We have to offer service and competitive pricing to ensure that customers come back. It’s the same thing my dad and grandad offered too. That part hasn’t changed. A quality shopping experience at Pants Store will bring a customer back through our door again and again.

What's it like working with your brother? How does that dynamic help the business?

I am very lucky to work with my brother John everyday. I have his back and he has mine. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I consider a lot of people I work with everyday family. I always say I spend more time with my people at work than I do with my family at home so I better enjoy it. I look forward to going to work everyday. That is a true blessing.

Your father, Mickey Gee, was one of the most respected businessman in Birmingham. What is a piece of advice he gave you that resonates most with you?

I don’t think I can pin down one thing. Looking back on when I worked with my dad everyday is one of the greatest gifts I ever had. He taught me so much. I came into the business with so many ideas and how I thought things would or should work. He taught me to be patient and to appreciate the customers we have. Customers are our life blood, and we are nothing without them. He also taught me to appreciate the folks I work with who get up everyday and fight the same fight we are. Retail is hard and there are lots of ups and downs, but he taught me to keep pushing.

Do you consider yourself a fashionista?

Ha! No I don’t. I am fortunate enough to work with some people that know way more than I do. I will tell you that I am not afraid to creep on a woman in the bread aisle at the Piggly Wiggly and ask her what brand her shoes are and where she got them. I have bills to pay and mouths to feed so I am always digging for what might sell next.