Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 7, 1994                   TAG: 9404070167
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIMI EUBANK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THEY KEEP COMING BACK TO SAM'S, JUST LIKE THEY HAVE FOR GENERATIONS

Just last Christmas, Anderton says, four generations of a farming family from Floyd County came into the store. "They all bought bib overalls from baby size 0 to the great-grandfather's size."

It seems that, along with the new customers Sam's is constantly gaining, the old ones keep coming back.

"Our customers have shown us tremendous loyalty over the years. Without them, we wouldn't have been able" to be so successful, says Anderton.

Anderton bought Sam's from Jack, Manis and Julius Shapiro in July 1979. Their father, Sam Shapiro, had operated the store on the Roanoke City Market since 1932, when Sam's sold mostly farm and work clothes.

After Anderton bought Sam's in 1979, he bought the Army-Navy store at 110 E. Campbell Ave. from Julius Halpern, who had joined his family's business in 1938. In addition to surplus military items, the store sold work clothes similar to the ones available from Sam's.

In 1982, Anderton merged the two stores.

Sam's reputation as a family-owned and operated store has stuck since it opened on Salem Avenue in 1915. Even after Anderton purchased the store, Julius and Manis Shapiro stopped in frequently to assist loyal customers.

Anderton says he has tried hard to preserve the old Sam's image. "The nostalgia of Sam's is a very big thing."

Khakis, jeans and chambray shirts still pile up on tables. Seventy-five-year-old sewing machines are still used for alterations.

"And the floor still creaks," says Anderton.

Anderton even had a reproduction of the first Sam's sign made for the storefront.

Even though he has maintained the old store image, Anderton has managed to make the technological transition to keep up with his more modern competitors. For instance, when Anderton sealed the deal with the Shapiro brothers, the store was signed over to him "with a pencil and a piece of paper." Now he uses computers for everything from bookkeeping to embroidery.

Anderton has expanded the uniforms service that the original Sam's offered. In addition to postal and sheriff uniforms, Sam's now sells police, fire and rescue uniforms and leases industrial uniforms. Anderton's most entertaining customer probably is the Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center in Delavan, Wisc.

Sam's also offers a computer embroidery service. The embroiderer calls up a pattern on the computer and hooks the uniform up to a machine. The needle then moves rapidly up and down while the garment moves as fast as 10 times a second, said Anderton.

This state-of-the-art embroidery business keeps the shop busy. "I haven't had a break in years," said embroiderer Sue Greer.

Anderton's biggest Roanoke Valley competitor in the uniform business is Kay Uniforms, a national retail chain owned by Fechheimer uniform manufacturers. Anderton said he also must contend with mail-order services.

But, because most of his customers are local, Anderton is able to keep in touch with them. "Communication is very important."

`Anderton said "service" is the reason his store competes so well with both Kay's and mail-order catalogs.

The only waiting involved is when a customer is having a uniform altered - for free.

"I think Sam's is the only place in the world that offers free alteration while you wait," said Anderton.

Sam's On the Market is located at 304-306 Market St. S.E., Roanoke. The telephone number is 342-7300.