» Owner: John Yacoubian, who turns 80 years old next July, was trained as a master tailor and earned degrees in tailoring from Ecole Professionnelle de Coupe de Couture in Paris and Gentleman's Garment Design in Chicago.
» Established: November 1969 after John Yacoubian came to Chattanooga a year earlier to visit his brother at Tennessee Temple University, fell in love with the city and worked for eight months as a tailor at another store before opening his own shop.
» Offerings: From hand-made suits and premier ready-made suits to blue jeans and sportswear, Yacoubian provides for a variety of men's fashion needs.
» Location: 629 Broad Street in downtown Chattanooga. The business began in the 900 block of Market Street, moved to the Read House for 30 years, operated in the Maclellan Building for 10 years and has been at its current location for the past five and a half years.
» What's special: "What sets us a part is our tailoring and our customer service," says Ani Yacoubian, daughter of the company founder. "We try to treat people like family." Many of Yacoubian suits are hand-crafted, using the best fabrics in the world and the best tailoring techniques, the best make, Yacoubian said. The store is now the oldest men's clothing store under the same owner in Chattanooga.
» How has it changed: Originally, the store offered only hand-made suits. It added ready-made suits in the 1980s. As clothing and lifestyles have become less formal, the store has added many more casual clothing items. "Half of what we sell now are jeans and sportswear," says Hovig Yacoubian, son of the store founder.
» Lessons of the trade: "Treat the customer the way you want to be treated yourself," Yacoubian says.
» Website: yacoubians.com