Abe Koplen Clothing at 214 North Union St. will celebrate its first anniversary under new ownership on Saturday, Nov. 7, with a formal “re-opening under new management” celebration.
The celebration begins at 10:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting, followed by a reception that includes coffee and light refreshments and an opportunity to meet and greet the new owner, James Cousins, and to reminisce with former owner Barry Koplen.
"I’m very thankful that I am getting to realize my dream of business ownership,” Cousins said. “It feels good to be continuing the legacy of service and commitment that has been associated with Abe Koplen Clothing for over 100 years. We look forward to serving this city for many years to come."
Corrie Teague, assistant director of the Danville Office of Economic Development, said the city recognizes and appreciates the businesses on North Union Street. “North Union Street has been the most active street in the River District for decades. When businesses were not locating to Main, there was always high occupancy on North Union,” Teague said.
Since the 1880’s the Koplen family clothing has been in the business of selling fashionable men’s clothing and accessories to thousands of loyal customers in the Dan River region. On Saturday, the store will highlight its new fall lines, draw for door prizes, and collect pictures and quotes from the public. The public is cordially invited to stop by to visit and shop from 10:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
In the summer of 2014, ownership of the historic clothing store quietly passed from the Koplen family when Barry Koplen sold the business to Cousins, his longtime employee. Cousins worked with staff at the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to prepare his business plan and marketing plan and secure funding to make his dream come true. The Longwood SBDC network covers 26 localities in Southern Virginia and is part of the Virginia SBDC network. The SBDC provides professional and confidential consulting services to start-ups and existing businesses.