Terresa Zimmerman is embroiled in a love affair. But it’s nothing sordid. The founder of Wood Underwear is in love with independent specialty stores and wants the world to know it.
In June, Zimmerman, an entrepreneur, author, consultant and founder of Wood Underwear, launched “Main Street Matters,” a podcast where she interviews independent retailers from around the country on their history, evolution and future.
“I love Main Street,” Zimmerman said. “And by Main Street, I mean independent retailers. When you walk in the door, you’re dealing with the owner. They know their customers and their families — there’s so much richness there.”
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As she explains on her website: “Through my own experience and conversations with store owners, it became obvious that your stories are not being told, that a regular place for you to hear from real-life peer experience was missing…and we all know, running a small business is a lonely business. I launched ‘Main Street Matters’ to help fill this gap, capture the, sometimes, multigenerational stories and give you a place to share, grow and build as a community.
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“Each episode, we will bring on independent retail owners, professionals and industry experts to discuss how you do what you do, the challenges you face, and how you overcome them, sharing your first-hand experiences. You’ll be inspired and even come away with steps to apply to your own retail journey. This is a way we help ensure a future-ready Main Street.”
Because of her background with Wood Underwear, which she launched 12 years ago, Zimmerman started her podcast by speaking with men’s specialty stores including Larry Davidson of Davidsons Clothing for Men in Roanoke, Va., Curtis Holloway of Suitability in McLean, Va., and Kory Helfman of Ken’s Man’s Shop in Dallas.
On the Ken’s podcast, Helfman and Zimmerman discuss the importance of long-term relationships with clients, community support, staying relevant through marketing and the use of SEO, and his concern about the scarcity of trained tailors.
“It was a no-brainer for me to start with men’s stores,” she said, noting that all of the stores she’s interviewed so far carry her underwear collection. But down the road, she intends to expand her reach to other retail categories as well as retailers who don’t necessarily sell her line.
“I believe it’s important to have a concentration of certain types of stores so they can learn from one another,” she said. “But I also believe that a tailored clothing store can learn from a lingerie store or a perfume store. I plan to work my way through other categories.”
The podcast has featured five episodes so far and Zimmerman is on a twice-a-month schedule. Among those she will be featuring in the future is Lindsay Morton, president and general merchandise manager of Andrisen Morton in Denver, a store started by her father David Morton and Craig Andrisen.
Zimmerman said she was especially excited to feature Lindsay Morton Gaiser because “she was one of the people I blindly sent my product to when I was starting Wood.” Unlike most other retailers, Morton responded, telling Zimmerman that the product needed improvement, which it did, she acknowledged. And once she improved the quality, Morton added it to the assortment.
Zimmerman said she speaks to store owners before or after hours and tackles questions such as what makes a store special, how the clientele has changed, how the store has kept up with those changes and how the retailer is planning for the future.
“And my last question,” she said, “is why does Main Street matter?”
For Lindsay Morton, it’s because “they’re the soul of the community,” Zimmerman said. And for Larry Davidson, “It’s about relationships. People want to feel as if they have been appreciated on an individual basis,” he said on the podcast. “It’s important for people to come in someplace where they know the person they’re encountering knows their history, knows their name, has some kind of relationship with them. That’s why independent retailing is still important.”