It all started in June 1952 at 206 N. Main St., Ada.
Vince Reichert opened Reichert’s Men’s Clothing Store. The new business held a formal opening on Friday, June 13, that summer. The large Ada Herald newspaper ad stated: “Favors will be given to all men and women visiting our store opening day.”
Note: The Icon thanks Jon Umphress for sharing Reichert's store-opening 1952 newspaper ad.
That first black and white newspaper ad listed the following items for men:
• Portis hats from $2.95 to $7.50
• Curlee suits from sizes 36 to 44, $45 value, opening sale $39.95
• Van Huesen ties $1 and $2
• Lee shirts, $3.98; pants, $4.49; Jeet denim overalls, $3.98
Also available in the store were white, colored and stripes shirts, belts, socks, shorts, sport shirts, slacks, t-shirts, bill folds, men’s tie bars and cuff links and men’s dungarees.
In 1963, Reichert’s moved to its 111-113 South Main Street expanded location adding women’s clothing to its selection.
Vince’s son, Fred, a 1973 Ada High School grad and 1977 ONU grad, took over the business fulltime following college graduation. Vince retired in the early 1990s.
Prior to Reichert’s relocation to the 111-113 address, the building housed Baker’s Hardware, which is now Keith's Hardware.
Reichert’s continued to provide men’s and women’s clothing for several generations of Ada and area shoppers, beating the odds of small-town clothing stores that closed on the arrival of shopping malls and online shopping.
Fred Reichert, second-generation store owner, announced his retirement and the closing of the downtown clothing store later this summer.
