Russell Bell: It feels great (and fits) to support a local retailer

Andersons Menswear is Russell Bell's shop of choice when it comes to clothes shopping. Photo / Bevan Conley

OPINION:

When Mrs Bell decrees that your wardrobe resembles "a tribute to 90s grunge and low fashion" that call needs to be answered.

Indeed, when it comes to clothing, my Scottish ancestry shines through and the mileage I get out of certain garments resembles that of a well-used delivery van.

Although, there is also the mysterious shrinking of business shirts which (I would tell anyone who will listen) has nothing to do with weight gain but is more likely Mrs Bell pushing the "hot wash" button on old favourite garments - in much the same way as a mob hitman dispatches a "mark" into the afterlife.

So, in the spirit of a spring-cleaning purge (which curiously lands every Autumn in the Bell household), I was bundled into the car on Saturday and driven to the main street. And really, there is only one option when it comes to service and high-quality range for menswear – Andersons Menswear.

And while it is one thing to have the best quality and range in town it is really the service which sets this business apart from other larger chains and/or bigger brands in other centres.

Now, I will be straight with you, I have never liked clothes shopping as a process. And, particularly in the bigger establishments in the big cities, salespeople hungry for commission see me like the ill wildebeest lagging behind the herd appears to the prairie lion. I enjoy the outcome but, like most males, I believe in short and sharp shopping experiences.

This has led to some, let's describe them as, unusual fashion catastrophes. From a luminous green suit that I purchased in the mid-90s, to many shirts which get the "what were you thinking" look from passers-by – adequately styling myself is not a skill I possess. Incidentally, my green suit won an annual award called the "greeny" normally reserved for staff who cannot hold down their alcohol at corporate functions.

So, when I walk through the door of a clothing establishment I require care and attention and that is exactly what occurred at Andersons late Saturday morning.

Rather than dive in and take the risk of getting the fit wrong, the customer service experience here is attentive and exacting. Given that I also had Mrs Bell supervising proceedings there was also a level of pressure to get it right – a number of what I thought were splendid options were vetoed, and rightly so given my green suit experience. And it is no coincidence that a good number of clothes that I have purchased from the likes of the more big-box retailers have now disappeared from my wardrobe like Jimmy Hoffa.

However, the attentiveness extended quickly to the Andersons team presenting options which matched expectations and, while time was required to be invested to get the right fit and style for my frame, it was well worth it and great value for the investment. And this is also something which Andersons bring to the table, it is that the quality of their clothing range lasts – testament to this being that a jacket that I purchased back in 2010 is still like the day it was purchased (and also continues to pass Mrs Bell's musters).

In the times we live in, where fashion disasters can be committed via websites and viruses are unnecessarily keeping people away from terrestrial retailers it also felt great to support a local business. A local business which excels at service is good for our economy and the exact thing we need more of and you should consider visiting and buying from.