Couple in seventh decade start new store

At an age when most people have long retired, Mark and Harriet Rosen started a new Evergreen business drawing on their good taste, flair for fashion and talent for finding great deals.

Mark, 73, and Harriet, 71, said they opened Best Quality Resale at the corner of Montana 35 and Shady Lane in Evergreen based on two principles.

“We want to keep busy and we enjoy it,” Mark said. “Everything here has been purchased in the Flathead Valley. There’s nothing expensive.”

The two discovered a niche market serving people who want a bargain price but don’t have the time or talent to dig through thrift stores for hidden treasures. As an example, Mark pulls out a new-looking jacket and holds up a page printed from the Cabela’s website showing the same garment for $269.

“We have it for $45,” he said with a smile.

Now married 53 years, the couple radiates contentment as they sip tea or coffee and converse with customers. The two have a wealth of interesting stories about their earlier ventures riding the ups and downs of an industry that has nearly disappeared to foreign competition.

“We’ve been in the apparel business all our lives,” Harriet said.

During earlier decades, both had worked for large corporations, then built successful businesses of their own in the Los Angeles area. From childhood, Harriet learned about the retail fashion industry since her father worked as an executive for the May Co. and then she followed suit.

“I lied about my age and went to work for the May Company when I was 14,” she said.

Right out of school, Mark worked for Van Heusen, then moved to Fruit of the Loom where he initiated the concept of marketing T-shirts for screen printing with images from blockbuster movies starting with “Jaws.” After 27 years, a corporate buyout of Fruit of the Loom and then reorganization bankruptcy gave him a generous severance payment and retirement.

“The whole industry was moving overseas,” Mark said.

Bucking the trend, he then went into partnership in a business supplying American-made T-shirt blanks. Mark found the domestic supplier and tied up most of his production, buying blanks by the train carload.

“We sold on the West Coast to all the biggest names — Guess, Calvin Klein,” Mark recalled.

Harriet started a venture designing and producing stylish, upper end women’s garments. Her business started the tight, cropped T-shirt trend that became a hot style statement.

Eventually, both Mark and Harriet lost their customer bases as low cost labor overseas devoured the apparel business in the United States. Mark said he had opportunities to go overseas to become a middle man but he said he didn’t have the energy to pursue it.

“His heart wasn’t in it,” Harriet said.

Instead, they folded their businesses, sold their large home, leased a smaller town house and planned to retire on their investments. When their stocks nose dived and Harriet had a serious medical crisis, they were forced into personal bankruptcy.

Instead of feeling like victims, this couple pulled up stakes three years ago and moved to Montana to start anew close to their granddaughter in a lower-cost area. They filled a 53-foot truck with stored possessions and unloaded them into a leased home in Kalispell.

Living on their Social Security checks and his Fruit of the Loom retirement, they began scouting out garage sales and thrift stores for fun and the cold weather clothes they needed for Kalispell. Both were amazed at the quality merchandise they found for low prices.

Using various discounts and specials, they figured out how to buy things such as first-quality jeans at half price from some thrift stores such as the Salvation Army, Flathead Industries and Ray of Hope. Soon, they realized they had accumulated too much and started having garage sales with their quality finds.

“We ran some ads and it takes off,” Mark said. “People were pleased. We had good prices and good merchandise.”

In their thrift store exploring, the couple were very impressed by the work of Ray of Hope that they said helps people who fall through the gaps in the social safety net of government agencies and private charities. They try to buy as much as possible and donate as well to the Ray of Hope thrift store.

Harriet wanted to do more by raising money for their work since she had done much of that for organizations in California. When they moved their booming garage sales to a store, the Rosens decided to donate a percentage of profits to Ray of Hope.

“We opened on Aug. 15,” Harriet said.

They chose the little house because it felt so cozy and comfortable. Mark enjoys giving customers tours of the rooms housing clothing, household goods and appliances.

“The kitchen appliances are new or nearly new,” he said. “ I clean everything and guarantee it works. If not, I’m happy to take it back.”

The Rosens also guarantee their clothing and other items. Mark said he inspects everything but if he missed some defect, he has no problem with a customer returning it or exchanging for something else.

 Harriet and Mark also offer discounts such as their current holiday season 25 percent discount for members of the military, law enforcement and fire departments. Their inventory includes items with gift potential such as unique cookie jars, vases, sculptures and a variety of music boxes including one for Elvis Presley fans.

Harriet wound it up.

“It plays ‘Love Me Tender,’” she said with a laugh.

Best Quality Resale is located at the corner of Montana 35 and Shady Lane in Evergreen. Call 755-0324.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com .