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Family of furriers fosters culture of quality |
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A luxurious fur coat evokes an image of the finer things.
At Dittrich Furs, the finer things still matter, and that is apparent
as soon as you walk through the door.
“When people walk through our front door, we treat
them as if they have just walked into our living room,” Dittrich
said. “My great-grandfather said that, and now I say it, too. It
is a store philosophy we have held for over a century.” Ten years past the century mark to be exact, but after
100 years, who’s counting? It was February 21, 1893, when Emil Dittrich, a furrier
from London, opened a small fur wholesale shop on Witherall Avenue in
Detroit. Emil bought only the best pelts directly from the source, English
trappers and native Americans. It was a foundation of quality that has
never been compromised. “This store has made its name on quality,” Dittrich
said. “We see some of the junk that is out there when people bring
garments in to be cleaned. Fifty percent of it I wouldn’t deem fit
to sell. Buying a fur from Dittrich’s has always meant something,
and it always will.” As the oldest family-owned retail establishment in Detroit,
now in its fifth generation, a recipe for success has been firmly established
and current employees follow it to the letter. “The quality of our employees is just as important
as the quality of our fur,” Dittrich said. “We have a strict
and stringent training process that demands the very best. “But that isn’t to say our environment is stressful.
No matter their name, our sales people are part of the Dittrich family,
too.” The legacy of Dittrich family ownership continues to grow,
as Hal Dittrich’s sons, Jason, 31, and Shawn, 29, work side-by-side
with their father as he grooms them in the family tradition. It is a standard that Dittrich’s employees will greet
you with a smile and a warm handshake. They will ask your first and last
name—and won’t forget them. They will graciously take your coat
and offer you a cup of coffee or tea as you step in from the cold. They
will even use a discerning eye to judge your personal style before they
suggest a single garment. “Being served by a retail employee should be pleasurable,”
said Jason. “A fur is always a big purchase. Our salespeople will
match the customer’s excitement with product knowledge, patience
and a warm approach.”
“The average length of employment among our staff
is 12 years,” said Shawn. “But some have sold here for as long
as 25 years. Our people will provide customers with an education on fur,
whether they make a purchase or not.” By the end of World War I, Dittrich’s had outgrown
its first location and opened up a shop in the Fisher Arcade on Woodward
Avenue. A decade later, Dittrich Furs moved yet again, to Grand River
Avenue. After 37 years there, freeway construction mandated another move,
this time to its current home on Third Avenue. “We have moved around a bit and the industry has
gone through changes over the years, but the fur industry is alive and
well,” Hal said. “We are in a little after-Christmas lull right
now, but overall, sales have been great.” As a merchant of luxury items, Dittrich does not feel
the rapid ups and downs of a struggling economy. He has relied upon the
store’s good name and dedicated customer base to remain steady and
strong during a time when many Michigan retailers have been tightening
their belts. “Believe it or not, the cold weather still helps
our sales,” Hal said. “And we not only sell, but manufacture,
clean, repair and store furs, so we have a lot of little ways to generate
revenue. We also offer in-store financing, which helps bring money in
when it’s 98 degrees and people aren’t thinking about buying
a full-length Russian sable coat.” While success in the fur industry is woven into Dittrich
history, certain modernizations have helped the company grow. “Technology has not passed us by. We now have a computerized
database for all our accounts and a truly state-of-the-art security system,”
Hal said. “We also have a website, but it is strictly for advertising
and product information.” Hal and his sons feel that there is too much detail in
buying furs to sell them online. “To purchase a fine fur you need to know how it feels,
how it wears and how it really looks. You can’t get those things
over a computer monitor.” While technology has brought with it welcomed changes,
the industry still faces some lasting negative reception. “Animal rights activists are still out there, but
they have quieted in recent years,” Hal said. “Many of them
have lost legitimacy due to their extremism. There is still an occasional
clamor for the banning of fur, but it is largely born out of misinformation.” As vice chairman of the Fur Information Council of America
and member of the International Fur Trade Federation, Hal Dittrich is
involved in setting industry regulations and standards. “Ninety-nine percent of the minks and foxes that
we use for our furs are raised on ranches,” he said. “The more
information one gathers on the fur industry today, the more they will
learn that it is based on integrity, moral sense and environmentally sound
practices.” Being in business for 110 years has taught the owners
of Dittrich Furs some valuable lessons. “My sons and I believe in the best quality in our
merchandise, top-notch sales people and delivering truly excellent customer
service,” Hal said. “We have taken it upon ourselves to carry
on the Dittrich name, and that’s why we’ll never sell used fur.
We would rather not have a sale than know there is an inferior product
out there with our name on it. You never know the history of a used fur,
and if we can’t guarantee it, we won’t sell it.” Quality products and skilled workmanship. People that
believe in honesty, integrity and education. These are the finer things
that will never go out of style—just like Dittrich Furs. “I’ve got a 1937 raccoon coat down in the vault
that belonged to my great-grandfather, and it still looks great,”
Hal said. “We have built our family history around Detroit and fine
furs. We’re proud that both of these are going strong.” This article was written by Michigan Retailer staff writer Brendan M. Dwyer. Return to January/February Michigan Retailer Page one • MRA home |
Upon
entering this Detroit classic, you are met by merchandise with first-class
style and employees with customer service skills that live up to the standards
of old-fashioned salesmanship. No one knows the importance of this atmosphere
of quality better than owner Hal Dittrich.
One
doesn’t master the Dittrich way to sell furs in a day or a year.
This is clear by the tenure of the seasoned sales staff.