While most boys his age were donning T-shirts and jeans, a then 16-year-old Philip Scotti became captivated by the menswear apparel business.
On Jan. 1 — 54 years after entering the industry — Scotti sold his beloved stores, Philip Michael Fashion for Men, and stepped into retirement.
The men’s apparel retailer sells top brands up to 50% off department store prices. In addition to tuxedo rentals, it carries suits, sport coats, pants, dress shirts, ties, shoes, hats and accessories.
All five of Scotti’s stores — in Norfolk, Hampton, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Fayetteville, North Carolina — were sold to Bishan Dass, also well seasoned in the industry. Dass, based in Cary, North Carolina, owns three other menswear shops and a women’s clothing store.
The two men connected by chance after one of Scotti’s deliveries mistakenly wound up at Dass’ store, and discussions led to the future of Philip Michael Fashion for Men.
As the new owner, Dass said he plans to expand the business up the East Coast and double its footprint over the next two to three years. All of the employees have stayed on, and Dass said the business is looking to hire several more.
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Finding fashion in Hampton Roads
While he attended high school, Scotti worked part-time at Chwatsky’s, a now-defunct specialty department store on Long Island.
“I really started to enjoy it, and I said, ‘I want to be in the fashion business,’” he said. “I wanted to chase that dream.”
Scotti sought work at a men’s clothing store while he attended community college in upstate New York to earn a degree in marketing. That’s when he met his lifelong mentor, Marvin Blumenfeld, a former giant in the industry later known for breathing new life into failed stores by turning them into value-priced retail.
“He gave me a lot of autonomy,” Scotti said. “But, he also taught me a lot and told me you have to look through a customer’s eyes when you lay out a store.”
Blumenfeld also stressed the importance of advertising, he said.
“He told me, ‘Phil, if you are going to open a business, say it, say it a lot and say it out loud,’” Scotti said.
Scotti landed in Hampton Roads in 1977 when he ran a going-out-of-business sale for a chain of menswear shops.
He and his late father-in-law, George Newman, spearheaded the opening of several menswear fashion chains, including Rockingham Clothes in Richmond and Clothing Distribution Center, featuring the Kuppenheimer brand, on Commerce Street in downtown Norfolk.
In the mid-80s, Scotti started the local licensee stores for suit manufacturer, Eagle Clothes, growing to seven storefronts. By the 1990s, he was recruited by S&K Famous Brands and worked his way up to vice president of operations. After 15 years with S&K, he decided to come full circle and open up another value-priced menswear chain, leading to the start of his namesake business in 2007.
Scotti’s wife, Eileen, handled the bookkeeping alongside him for 16 years, and he credits her for helping the business not only survive, but thrive. Both of their sons, Adam and Jonathan, also work in the business and their daughter, Lisa, helped with the store layouts and social media.
Kim Rivera, an area manager for Philip Michael Fashion for Men, is one of several employees who has worked for Scotti since the brand’s inception. Rivera described Scotti as a hardworking man who was in the store seven days a week, and said he will be missed.
“Phil has the passion for the business and always said, ‘If you make people look good, they feel good,’” she said.
Tommy Graves, owner of Norfolk-based Graves Funeral Home, met Scotti years ago and has shopped at the store ever since.
“I started outfitting my staff with his merchandise — coordinated suits, shirts and ties — to give us a look to go along with what we do,” Graves said.
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The next generation of retail
While other aspects of retail were affected by the start of online shopping, Scotti said tailored men’s clothing tends to be a “whole different animal.”
Men don’t have the patience that women have to send clothing back if they don’t like the fabric or fit, he said.
“They really want service and expertise,” Scotti said. “That’s always been our success; we’ve grown competing against the internet.”
Scotti points to the pandemic as the biggest challenge throughout his lengthy career, even closing his Newport News store after approximately four years. But in the end, Scotti feels those difficult times made him a better business owner.
“It enabled me to really stick to a budget — do a year’s budget, but do a floating budget, so you could always keep expenses in control,” he said.
In 2022 and 2023, Scotti said he saw a surge in sales — like in the Roaring ’20s — as men found their clothes outdated or no longer fitting. “Plus,” he said, “they had extra cash from the government.”
Aside from economic stimulus payments, the COVID pandemic also led Scotti to invest in casual sportswear and enhance his shoppers’ overall experience.
Mentored by so many influential people, Scotti said mentoring young people always remained a highlight of his career.
“I always like to give back to the community,” he said, eager to volunteer his time to the Southside Boys & Girls Club and the nonprofit Toby’s Dream Foundation.
Scotti maintains a closet of about 20 suits but regularly donated suits to charity as he updated his collection. He also enjoyed visiting local schools and working with the military’s Transition Assistance Program to teach men how to tie a tie, buy a suit and dress for an interview.
Scotti said he still plans to keep his hand in the retail world by acting as a consultant for small businesses through the Retail Alliance in Hampton Roads.
And on the days he’s not busy sharing his expertise, he said his agenda for him and his wife will include cruises and trips to Europe — where Scotti will undoubtedly be among the best dressed.
Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com
