Ohannes “John” Yacoubian’s success stemmed from his ability to treat everyone with respect, regardless of whether they had millions of dollars or just a nickel, family members said.
“That was the key to the business,” his son, Hovig Yacoubian, said in an interview alongside his sister, Ani Riggs, at the family’s clothing store Wednesday. “The only key to having a successful business is, if you treat people nice, they will want to come back.”
A tailor whose shop has been a fixture in downtown Chattanooga for more than 50 years, Yacoubian died last week during a trip to Italy. He was 86. After learning his trade from his uncle in Beirut, Yacoubian first came to the United States in 1968 to visit his brother, who was at the time attending Tennessee Temple University.
(READ MORE: WorkingIt: Buyer says best part of job is helping people look good)