Ara Yacobian, Clothier Who Founded Ara's Stores, 89
DGH
Ara Yacobian of Wellesley, Massachusetts, and Venice, Florida, a leading
men's clothier in an era when stores were called haberdasheries and
personal attention, not sales pitches, was paramount, died Sunday, June
9, 2002, at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts, at the age of 89.
In the 1950s and '60s when Mr. Yacobian was at the pinnacle of his
career, men's clothing stores were ''extensions of the owners'
personalities,'' fellow clothier Greg Thomajan told the Globe in a 1997
article.
In building his business into one of the top high-end clothiers in New
England, Mr. Yacobian attracted a well-heeled clientele of social,
political, and business leaders. They came to Ara's to look good, but
the key, according to those who knew him, was Mr. Yacobian's ability to
make them feel good.
''Everybody loved this guy,'' said Thomajan, owner of Zareh, a prominent
store in Boston's Financial District.
Mr. Yacobian was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated from
Worcester High School.
He began his career as a helper to Thomajan's father, Zareh. During his
daily 85-mile commute on the train from Worcester to Boston, the young
apprentice took note of which stops featured the best-dressed men.
When he decided to open his own shop in 1947, Mr. Yacobian choose
Wellesley, Massachusetts, in part due to his experience on the train.
Another Ara's was soon opened in Framingham, Massachusetts, and a young
men's clothing store was added near the original Wellesley location.
Over time, Mr. Yacobian added two other companies to his business,
Arthur L. Johnson Co., a Boston clothing store, and E.A. Davis Co., a
department store in Wellesley.
Mr. Yacobian took an innovative approach to the retail business,
including a patented tie display rack, personal charge accounts, a
master tailor for customers on the sales floor, biographies of his
customers titled ''Ara's man of the week,'' published each week in
Boston, Massachusetts, newspapers, and a promotion that allowed
customers to trade in old clothing toward the purchase of new items.
But at the heart of his business was personal service - knowing not just
the name of each customer, but their size and tastes as well.
Mr. Yacobian was active in many local organizations, including the
Kiwanis Club, the Wellesley Board of Trade, and the Wellesley Chamber of
Commerce. He also served as president of the Council of Armenian
Executives and on the board of the Wellesley Cooperative Bank.
He was a member of the Mission Valley Golf Club in Florida and the
Weston Golf Club, winning the Super Seniors Club Championship at the age
of 88.