Laxton’s Big & Tall Men’s Store to Close its Doors After 57 Years, Quitting-Business Sale Opens to Public on Thursday

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Laxton’s Big & Tall Men’s Clothing Store, which has been a family-owned and operated local landmark since 1955, will sell its entire inventory in a quitting-business sale that begins next week.

“I’m not sure what the future holds for me, but it’s time for a change,” said Kent Laxton who has worked in the store since he was an eighth grader in 1969. “Business has been very tough since the economic downturn. Men’s clothing purchases can become a low priority for families having a hard time.”

The store’s inventory sale opens to the public next Thursday. Laxton’s, located at 505 South “A” Street, will be open 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday during the sale.

Laxton’s parents launched their store in 1955 as Walt Laxton’s Store for Men in an era when big & tall sizes were almost unheard of. There was only one store in Oregon that carried extra sizes at that time, and it was in Portland. Kent’s father also sold a line of suits on the road to supplement his store’s income, and the store in Portland was one of his clients.

“He saw a need for that market in our area, so he put in a big & tall department. Over the years we became known especially for big & tall, so we closed out our regular sizes in the late ‘70s,” Kent Laxton said.

When Walt passed away suddenly in 1985, his wife, Lily, stepped up and took a more active role in the business. Lily Laxton, 86, still works at the store, doing alterations and helping customers.

Kent Laxton expressed his appreciation for the loyalty of the store’s long-time clientele.

“We changed the name from ‘Walt Laxton’s Store for Men’ to Laxton’s Big & Tall in the early 1980s, and we still have customers who sign Walt Laxton’s on their checks. We’ve met so many nice people, and made a lot of great friends over the years.”

He added “I was very fortunate to grow up and work in a family business in an era when people’s shopping experiences were more personal. While big box stores have their advantages, it’s just not the same.”

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Demarcos to Close Casper Store After 30 Years at Eastridge Mall, Quitting Business Sale Starts Thursday

          CASPER, Wyo. – Demarcos, an original tenant in the Eastridge Mall and a local retail landmark for three decades, will close its doors with a quitting business sale that begins for the public on Thursday, owner Dave Marcovitz said today.

          “Mom-and-pop stores can have one bad season and it can take them out. We’ve done a lot of things right for a lot of years, but the fact remains that one bad thing can take you out,” Marcovitz said. “And, that’s what’s happened to us.”

The store’s inventory will be sold off at sharply reduced prices. The store will extend its business hours from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sundays. The sale will continue until its entire stock of clothing is sold.

Marcovitz said the decision to close the local store was shaped by developments related to his family’s other men’s clothing store, located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, which opened in 1984. He indicated the company’s financial standing was aggravated when the Idaho store was forced to move several times.

“That was our best store and the moves had a drastic effect on customer traffic and revenues. Ultimately, that affected our ability to run the Casper store,” he said.

The company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing earlier in 2011 also led to the closing of its Bozeman store last August.

“We were really just trying to regroup,” he said. “Our strong customer service has kept us in business all these years but it just wasn’t enough when the economy tanked, mall traffic was down horrendously and we were put in a very bad location in Idaho Falls.”

The Marcovitz family has had a long and storied career in the clothing business, beginning with Marcovitz’s father. He was one of the four founders of chain that had outlets throughout the country. At one point in his career, the senior Marcovitz traveled the country to oversee the opening of 85 stores before coming in off the road to spend more time with his family and operate his own stores again.

Dave Marcovitz followed in his father’s footsteps when he began to spend time at his father’s store and working in the backroom as a youngster. By ninth grade, he was serving customers. He began working at the local store after college.

“The mall opened in 1982 and it was the place to be. That’s how we got here,” explained Marcovitz, whose younger brother Rob operates the Idaho store. “Even though we’re a small operation now, we’ve had as many as seven stores. We’ve had some real pricing advantages and manufacturers have treated us well because when you’ve had a big pen like we did when my dad was buying for 100 stores, people remember that. But, things have changed for us and we’re just not able to move forward any longer.”

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Demarcos to Close Idaho Falls Store After 28 Years; Quitting Business Sale Starts Thursday

IDAHO FALLS – Demarcos, a well-known local men’s clothier for nearly three decades and an original tenant in the Grand Teton Mall, will close its doors, president Rob Marcovitz said today.

“The people in Idaho Falls have been very good to us. We’ve had an incredible number of very loyal, long-time clients and I’ve made some wonderful friendships here,” Marcovitz said. “Unfortunately, we’re just not able to go forward where we are. What we’re seeing across the country – that consumer traffic in retail malls is way down – is very true locally. While I hate to be critical, frankly, we were put into a very bad financial spot when the mall management chose to move us around as they did.”

The store’s quitting-business sale begins for the public on Thursday. Marcovitz is extending the store’s hours from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sundays. The sale will continue until its entire stock of clothing is sold.

Marcovitz said the resulting revenue loss ultimately dragged down his family’s clothing stores in Casper, Wyo., and Bozeman, Mont. The Bozeman store closed last August. The Casper store will launch its closing sale next Thursday.

The store at Grand Teton Mall opened in 1984. Marcovitz has been working there since 1989. He acknowledged that the typical Demarcos client is “not really a mall shopper.”

“When they come here, they come to see us. Some have told us they would’ve preferred us outside the mall and in a free-standing store,” he said. “We’ve always had the opinion that we’d do whatever was in the mall’s best interest because, ultimately, it would come back to us. In the end, it didn’t work out that way for a variety of reasons.”

The economic downturn affected sales, but the business was particularly hurt by a move into a smaller space in the mall that dragged on longer than expected due to construction delays.

The Marcovitz family has had a long, successful history in the clothing business, beginning with Marcovitz’s father in the early 1960s. He was one of the four founders of chain that had outlets throughout the country. At one point in his career, the senior Marcovitz traveled the country to oversee the opening of 85 stores before coming in off the road to spend more time with his family and operate his own stores again.

Marcovitz and his brother Dave, who operates the Casper store, followed in his father’s footsteps when they began to spend time at his father’s store as youngsters. Rob Marcovitz said he has not decided on his next career move.

“Not only have we have been fortunate to have such terrific clients, but our employees have been outstanding,” Marcovitz said. “That’s the way it should be – and that’s why this process really has been such a tough one for us.”

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Wardley Real Estate Announces Change in National Affiliation to Benefit Agents, Clients in Local Market

LAS VEGAS – Wardley Real Estate, a prominent local brokerage, has ended its affiliation with a high-profile national firm in order to refocus its resources to “better benefit agents and create the best total experience for our customers,” its president said today.

“We’ve concluded our relationship with Coldwell Banker in favor of a new association with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World,” Jeff Sommers said. “We strongly believe the money we would have spent with Coldwell Banker going forward can be invested much more productively here in the Las Vegas community. We are committed to providing our agents and clients with the ultimate real estate experience. Simply stated, we are ‘Positively the Best Decision in Las Vegas Real Estate.’”

Sommers noted the move is significant because it marks an evolution by one of the region’s survivors in the industry’s recent restructuring in the wake of the deep national recession and housing crisis.

“The landscape has shifted significantly. Several major players in our market aren’t here anymore. Several large firms have filed for bankruptcy. A lot of Las Vegas brokerages have gone out of business,” he said. “We’re a local company that provides jobs to more than 300 people. We’ve stayed in there, kept plugging away and kept people employed. We’re going to come out of this market stronger than ever.”

Lynn Wardley, the local firm’s owner announced the move to his 300-plus agents and employees on Thursday. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World is a global network of 550 of the best-known local and regional real estate firms with 4,600 offices and 140,000 sales associates in the United States and 30 other countries.

Sommers said, “Ultimately, real estate is a local business. LeadingRE is the largest network of brokers and agents but it doesn’t spend its money running nationwide ads to build a national brand. Instead, its focus is on helping clients relocate from one market to another. Anyone who lives in Las Vegas knows that a tremendous percentage of our residents come from other cities and states. Leading RE will better help us connect people moving to Las Vegas.”

He continued, “The only reason to buy or sell a home is to get to a better place, whether it’s a bigger place, a downsized home or a more economical situation. Still, getting from where you are to where you want to be can be very stressful,” explained Sommers, who has been in the real estate business since 1982 and with Wardley since 1993. “We want to eliminate that stress and make the real estate experience an exciting event.”

Sommers describes the new relationship with LeadingRE as “the best of both worlds for our clients and agents.” Agents will have a clear competitive edge with state-of-the-art tools and systems in working with the large number of number buyers in the Las Vegas market and with clients who are selling homes and moving both within Las Vegas and to other cities and states.

LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O’Connor notes that the company is the latest in a long list of former franchisees to affiliate with the network.  “We are seeing more and more firms that recognize the value of our model, which combines the advantages of operating as an independent company with the benefits of global services and connections,” O’Connor said.  “We are especially excited to welcome the Wardley team, as the name has been long associated with quality real estate.  We are pleased to support their growth as a locally-owned and branded real estate organization.”

Wardley started his firm in 1974, growing from a start-up to the largest, most-successful brokerage in Utah with approximately 1,700 agents and 22 offices. In 1998, he purchased a small brokerage in Denver and grew it to more than 1,000 agents by 2001. That same year, he was inducted into the Better Homes & Gardens Hall of Fame, an elite group comprised on less than 1 percent of the top brokers in America.

In 1999, Better Homes and Gardens approached Wardley to start a Las Vegas brokerage to replace a firm that had changed franchise affiliations. His first move was to purchase the Real Estate School of Nevada, the state’s most-established real estate school, because he believed the key to industry success is training and education.

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Brownell to Seek Fourth Term on Polk County Board of Supervisors in Newly Formed District

CLIVE, Iowa – Polk County Supervisor Robert Brownell announced today that he run for a fourth term in the newly drawn district that includes Clive, Urbandale, Johnston, Grimes, Polk City and much of northern Polk County.

Brownell, a former Clive mayor and councilman, was elected to the board of supervisors in 2000 and has represented Clive, West Des Moines, southwestern Des Moines and Urbandale during that time.

“The new district is just terrific and I look forward to working hard and serving the people who live and work there,” Brownell said. “Clive has always been part of my supervisor district and Urbandale was part of it when I was first elected. I really hated to lose them in the 2002 redistricting. It’s a great city. As much I’m going to miss the day-to-day interaction with my current constituents, I’m very happy to be back in a district that includes Urbandale. I have a lot of friends in Johnston, Grimes and Polk City. I really look forward to working hard for them, too.”

Brownell’s recent activities includes serving as one of the county representatives on the Legislature’s work group for mental health redesign and as the only county representative on the governor’s work group for property tax reform. He currently is the chair of the Aging Resources Council, vice chair of the Homeless Coordinating Council, past chair of Neighborhood Finance Corporation, Emergency Management Board and E911 Board and serves on many local commissions.

“I’ve made a very conscious decision over the years to work with many varied and disparate parties to accomplish meaningful things that benefit Polk County’s residents and taxpayers,” Brownell said. “I’ve always believed it possible for public officials to meet public needs while maintaining a fiscally conservative approach to government. I’ve done that with success for a decade on the board and I want to continue to deliver that approach to constituents.”

To gain first-hand knowledge about the delivery of human services, Brownell posed as a homeless person and spent more than a week at the YMCA transitional housing facility. He also spent a night in a Des Moines homeless shelter, also posing as a homeless person.  “When dealing with a complex problem, whether it’s homelessness or mental health reform, it’s important to understand the issue on as close to a gut level as possible. When policy makers take the time to make that effort, their outcomes are better for all parties involved,” he said.

The redistricting plan recently approved by the Iowa Secretary of State put Brownell and Urbandale Republican E.J. Giovannetti in the same district. Giovannetti announced Wednesday that he will not seek another term.

“E.J. is one of my closest friends and has done a marvelous job as an elected official. I’m really going to miss him on the board, but we will remain good friends and he’ll be someone whose counsel I will always seek,” said Brownell, noting that Giovannetti has expressed his support for his colleague.

Brownell is a native of Cedar Rapids, graduating from Kennedy High School after attending Missouri Military Academy. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Northern Iowa, earning degrees in English and education. He has done post-graduate work at Drake University.

His private sector experience has included management positions with Roadway Express and Yellow Transportation (now YRC). He currently owns a successful consulting company, Diverse Resources Group LLC, which provides transportation and logistical counsel.

Brownell is married to Jenna Jurgensen of Des Moines. They have one son, Kevin. Kevin and his wife, Maria, are both attorneys in Des Moines.

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Giovannetti Won’t Seek Fourth Term, Committed to Remaining Active in Public Policy in 2013 and Beyond

          URBANDALE, Iowa – Polk County Supervisor E.J. Giovannetti, an innovative local government official since the early 1970s, said today that he will not seek a fourth term.

            “Words can’t begin to describe what an honor it is to represent my constituents. Even as when we faced some real challenges, I truly have enjoyed my time on the board of supervisors,” Giovannetti said. “It’s been a difficult decision but I know it’s the right one for me; I won’t be seeking re-election in 2012.”

The Urbandale Republican continued, “It’s important to me that my constituents know I’ll be working for them right up to my final day in office a little less than a year from now and that I’ll continue to work hard to represent their best interests on the range of county issues that affect them on a daily basis.”

Giovannetti was elected to the board in 2002, ending a five-year hiatus in his public service that began with his appointment to the Urbandale Planning and Zoning Commission in 1973. He was appointed mayor in 1977 and served in that position through 1997.  His current district consists primarily of Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, Sheldahl, and Urbandale.

“I’ve been blessed and extremely proud to oversee not only the growth of Urbandale, but also one of the best counties in the United States,” Giovannetti said. “I haven’t decided yet what my next role will be but I guarantee I will remain very active on public policy issues, especially in the realm of intergovernmental cooperation,” he said.

Giovannetti has served as a chairman and member of the Greater Des Moines Civic Center, chairman of the Iowa Municipalities Workers’ Compensation Association, president of the Urbandale Economic Development Association, a member of Affordable Housing Task Force, member of Greater Des Moines Partnership, member of Team Ankeny, past member of the National League of Cities Committee on Finance, Administration, and Intergovernmental Relationships, member of Board of Directors of Bishop Drum Care Center, Mercy Clinics Board of Directors, chairman and member of Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, and chairman of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund.

He also serves on the board of Choose Des Moines Communities, Des Moines Arts Festival, Downtown Events Group, Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Mid-Iowa Association of Local Governments (MIALG), Mid-Iowa Development Fund, Des Moines Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA), Metropolitan Advisory Council (MAC), Polk County Risk Management Committee, Civic Center Executive Committee, Central Iowa Drinking Water Commission, and Endow Urbandale. He is also an alternate to the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

Giovannetti, a native of northern California, has been in the private practice of law with Hopkins & Huebner, P.C. since 1970. Prior to that time, he served as Assistant Attorney General, Counsel for Legislative Research Bureau, and Deputy Industrial Commissioner, all with the State of Iowa. He has two adult children, Beth lives in New Orleans and Mark lives in Ankeny with his wife Chris and daughter Emily.

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Outstanding Commentary by MarketWatch’s David Weidner on the Death of Polk County Bank

As David Weidner writes today: “If you want to know how the financial crisis is still wreaking havoc in America, how the government is picking winners and losers, and how the big banks have actually benefited from their own mistakes, you simply need to go to the heartland.”

For the rest of the story, go to “Who Benefits when a bank dies? The life and death of Polk County Bank.”

Woolson to Appear on Canada’s Top-Rated Television Network

Eric Woolson, owner of The Concept Works, Inc., will be interviewed today on Canada’s #1 television in his role as Iowa campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann.

Woolson will appear on a five-minute segment with host Rudyard Griffiths on the network’s flagship program, “National Affairs”. CTV is Canada’s largest private broadcaster, and reaches more than 25 million viewers each week.

Branstad at Plant Expansion Ribbon Cutting: “Accumold is a Home-Grown Iowa Success Story”

ANKENY, Iowa – State and local officials, including Gov. Terry Branstad, joined Accumold’s executives and employees as the high-tech plastic parts manufacturer today opened its $7 million, 44,000-square-foot expansion that adds 43 employees to its workforce.

“Accumold is a home-grown Iowa success story. I’m proud of the role that the State of Iowa has played in Accumold’s success but it pales in comparison to what its employees have done,” Branstad said. “I’ve known Roger Hargens for many, many years and he’s a guy who makes things happen. Accumold is an industry leader because he has infused his determination, vision and pursuit of excellence into every person who works here – and they’ve responded in true Iowa tradition.”

The five-term governor added, “I want to make sure Accumold’s story is an inspiration to established and start-up companies all across our state as we work toward our five-year goal of creating 200,000 jobs so we can provide the best job opportunities for Iowans.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, which included Ankeny Mayor Steve Van Oort, took place at the company’s facility at 1711 SE Oralabor Road.

“We congratulate Accumold on their bold vision and success that has led to this impressive expansion,” Van Oort said. “We remain committed to proactively creating a community where businesses like Accumold can thrive and are proud they call Ankeny home.”

Hargens said the expansion reflects the company’s mission as “an innovation leader on a path of sustainable, long-term growth while tapping the creativity, ingenuity and work ethic that represents the best of Iowa.”

“We compete and win every day in a global economy against companies and countries that don’t always play fair. We do it by being nimble, determined and, frankly, smart about what we do,” Hargens said. “Obviously, a company with Accumold’s track record and potential could locate anywhere; we want to be right here. Our work takes us around the world but no matter where we go, there’s no place like Ankeny.”

Since its inception in 1985, Accu-mold’s mission has been on the production of super-micro, ultra-precision, plastic injection-molded parts. Today, Accu-mold is an international leader in tooling and manufacturing complex, micro-size parts and components that often measure in mere microns. To produce those parts, Accu-mold builds specialized molding machines engineered to handle volumes from prototypes to millions per year while maintaining consistent, precise tolerances that are unique in the industry.

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Prolonged Economic Slump Forces Long-time Main Street Retailer, B. Wright Limited, to Sell Entire Line of Men’s Clothing

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. – While praising the community for “many years of incredible support,” the owner of B. Wright Limited said today the local retail will sell its entire line of men’s apparel in a sale that will begin next Wednesday.

“I can’t say enough about how well Zionsville has treated us. We couldn’t have been in a better town,” said Brian Wright, whose family has owned the store since 1968.

The store’s inventory sale will begin next Wednesday. The store, 140 S. Main St., will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday during the sale. Wright said that he hopes to continue the alterations and tuxedo rental portions of his business.

Wright noted that the store’s original owner opened at the South Main Street location in 1939. Wright’s father moved from Lafayette in 1963 to work at the clothing store. He left the store several years later to operate a local five-and-dime, but returned to the clothing store in 1968 as its new owner.

“I did chores at the store at an earlier age but started waiting on customers when I was 15. Dad taught me how to do alterations when I was 15, too. At the time I thought, ‘Why are you showing me this? But it turned out to be a blessing.”

Brian did leave the family business in 1978 for a brief time, moving to Arizona for five months to work in the landscaping industry. He returned to the area and worked for as a bricklayer’s assistant before returning to the store.
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