Discovery Clothing Company began in Chicago in 1986 and, like all good fashion trends, it eventually found its way to Milwaukee -- more than 20 years later.
Father and son team Ron and Kenny Goldman started their store as the first $10-and-under clothing supplier in Chicago. Today, there are 21 locations and while not everything for sale is less than a 10-spot, the prices remain overwhelmingly modest.
"We don't pay the rent of the mall," says Kenny Goldman, who now owns and operates the company with his brother Jeff. "We get locations that are off the beaten path a little bit and sell the same things as the mall."
Discovery's first Wisconsin location opened a year ago at 3549 S. 27th St. in Milwaukee as a gargantuan store -- 10,000 sq. ft. -- geared toward women ages 15 to 30. Garments are arranged into categories: club wear and career clothing on one side and casual and active wear on the other. It's got the price tags of a TJ Maxx or a Marshall's, the organization of a Target or Kohl's but a style selection similar to a Forever 21.
"We had a lot of people from Milwaukee coming to our Chicago stores and to our suburb stores," explains Goldman. "Then when we went (to Milwaukee), we felt like there was a void in the market for a discount apparel store like ours. You have the discount stores like TJ Maxx or Marshall's, but they are just so odds and ends-y."
Discovery is definitely fashion-based, but it's not last year's trends that warrant the low sale price. Both Goldman brothers travel constantly to acquaint themselves with current New York- or L.A.-inspired looks. The discounts, Kenny says, are a direct result of an extremely low mark-up.
"We believe in turning units, where a lot of other retailers believe in higher mark-up," he says. " Sure, we have to make money, but we believe in making less money per garment, but selling more garments. It helps the consumer and helps our buying power."
With warmer weather on its way, Kenny and Jeff are stocking up on poly-rayon tunic shirts, printed dresses, capris and leggings. And since no summer outfit is complete without the proper accessories, the store offers a large selection of handbags, jewelry, flip flops and casual slip-on shoes.
"We have all the junior brands you see in the malls, but we sell them for $20 when they're selling them for $40," he says, mentioning names like YMI, Hint and Angels. "We opened a year ago and the response has just been excellent."
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
