Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Businesses who have outlived their names - 3 Day Suit Broker

You've probably heard of 3 Day Suit Broker, the southern California suit chain that advertises low prices.

How do they keep their prices so low? According to the company web page, this is achieved via a non-standard business model.

Because we're open only 3 days a week, our overhead stays very low. This allows us to sell quality suits from top brands for about half of what others charge. It's why for over 15 years Southern Californians have counted on us for great values, not cheap suits.

Sounds like a great concept, although you obviously have to time the visit just right.

Last week I was talking to someone who was looking for an inexpensive suit, and I was wondering if the 3 Day Suit Broker in Ontario was open on that particular day. So I checked its hours:

Store Hours

Monday
11:00am–8:00pm

Tuesday
11:00am–8:00pm

Wednesday
11:00am–8:00pm

Thursday
11:00am–8:00pm

Friday
10:00am–8:00pm

Saturday
10:00am–7:00pm

Sunday
11:00am–6:00pm

Huh? Does this mean that 3 Day Suit Broker has been forced to double its prices?

Of course, 3 Day Suit Broker isn't the only Inland Empire company with an outdated name. Back in 1946, a chain of convenience stores in Texas called Tote'm changed its name to 7-Eleven. Why?

[T]o reflect the stores' new, extended hours - 7 a.m. until 11 p.m., seven days a week.

Less than 20 years later, in 1963, the 7-Eleven near the University of Texas in Austin began to stay open 24 hours a day on weekends to cater to the football crowd. But the store name has been preserved to the present day.