Page 146 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2019

THEFINALSAY FERRELL &
ROSEALMAN S.F. Alman, Ltd.
We are so pleased that South Mississippi Living magazine has dedicated an issue to shopping local. We are Ferrell and Rose Alman of S. F. Alman, Ltd., a local men’s and ladies clothing store in Gulfport, and we are thankful that people have been “shopping local” with us since we opened 36 and a half years ago.
We both began our careers working in retail in Jackson, Mississippi. Ferrell being from Gulfport, we wanted to come back to the Coast and open a clothing store with brands that were not available here. We opened our store in March 1983 and have been clothing the people of South Mississippi ever since.
There have been a lot of changes in retail over the years, not to mention the changes in clothing styles and trends. We collectively attend about seven markets a year to keep the best brands and current merchandise coming to our store. We listen closely to our customers to bring in the brands they want, and we also seek out smaller, unique brands that you can’t find anywhere else.
About 25 years ago, we noticed the rising popularity
of outdoors activities and the accompanying need for outdoors clothing and accessories. We began attending the Outdoor Retailer market in order to bring in the latest and best in outdoors apparel. As a result, our store has become the one-stop shop for all of your clothing needs: suits and ties, sport coats, dresses, jewelry, gifts, casual clothing, hiking and fishing clothing, athleisure wear, ice chests, knives, and more. Just call us... we might have it!
As with most small businesses we have our good and bad years, but we remain committed to our customers and to our community. Running a locally-owned business allows us to turn customers into long-term friends. We enjoy the personal interaction and appreciate every customer that walks through our door. We want our customers to enjoy their in-store experience and to be able to “touch it, feel it, and try it on.”
We could not have stayed in business for so long without our wonderful staff. Some of them have been with us for over 25 years, including our manager, David Bell. Since 1983, we have employed over 150 people, including local
high school and college students.
We love the Coast and we are proud of our business’ role
in supporting the local economy. Beyond the taxes and sales taxes that go back into our community, we contribute and donate to schools, fundraisers, churches, non-profits, charities, and more.
As our children, Ferrell, Jr. and Olivia, were growing up, we enjoyed the interaction with their schools, sports, our church, and other extra-curricular activities that broadened our involvement in the community in so many different ways. With Rose being a co-founder of the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, we spent many years developing the state’s first children’s museum. There are countless other examples of our fellow small businesses building strong communities, contributing to local causes, and enhancing the local environment.
As our fast-paced world shapes the way we all shop
and communicate, we begin to lose a part of the way we interact as a community and as neighbors. We are just one story of “why to shop local.” This magazine is full of local businesses that help enrich the fabric of our community: a community that makes South Mississippi such a wonderful place to call home. The more you support us, and the
more we support each other, the more we support OUR community!
146 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • November 2019
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