History

In the midst of WW1, a Polish shoemaker immigrated to North America through Ellis Island. Without much more than the clothes on his back and some change in his pocket (Just enough to buy a pie, which he did!) he began his journey west, eventually finding himself in Grafton, North Dakota, where he learned English from a young farm girl.

Through the immigration process Abe Pearlstien became Abe Patterson, thought to be a more “American” name at the time. Abe earned his citizenship by serving in the United States Army during the Great War as a mule driver in the 116th Trench Mortar Battery. While in service, a friend suggested that Bemidji, Minnesota would be a nice place to settle, which is exactly what Abe decided to do.

Abe started in Bemidji as a shoemaker between 3rd and 2nd street before helping to open several stores including The Hub and The Toggery. In 1929 Abe bought the Dalton building on the corner of 3rd Street and Beltrami Avenue, and Patterson’s was born.

Abe became very active in the American Legion and helped found Bemidji’s Post 14. Veterans returning from WW1 wanted to support Abe and became loyal customers. Lumberjacks, who were known for spending Saturday nights shopping and drinking, were also great for business. Abe would keep the store open all night on the Fourth of July to sell partying lumbermen suits.

The Gill Brothers, who dominated the men’s clothing business in Bemidji, were Abe’s main rivals, competing for lines and customers. It wasn’t until Abe started winning lines from the Gill Brothers, like Botany 500, that the store really started to grow. Botany 500 suits sold for $65 and were a must-have for every lumberjack and man in service. While Abe was not formally educated, he was a naturally aggressive businessman with an eye for quality products.

There were tough times too. During the Great Depression not a single customer would stop in for days on end, and Abe would sit outside in the car to save electricity until customers came. Inside, he would keep empty boxes on the shelves to make the store look full of inventory when he could not afford to replace his stock. During WWII merchandise availability diminished, so Abe would secretly stockpile white Arrow shirts so that returning servicemen could buy them with a new suit.

In the early 1950s, Abe and his wife Annette started to transition into retirement, spending much of their time in Palm Springs, CA. Ron, Abe and Annette’s only child, went to the University of Minnesota where he met his wife Ralyhe. Ron served in the Korean War before taking over Patterson’s in 1952. They were extremely motivated when they took over, driving to markets in Minneapolis frequently and completely remodeling the store in the 1960s (and the store’s decorating hasn’t changed much since!).

Another change Ron and Ralyhe made in the 1960s was bringing in young men’s attire. They transformed the basement of Patterson’s into “The Dungeon”, which became a hot spot for Levi jeans and colored corduroys. The Dungeon even started bringing ladies into Patterson’s for the first time!

Young men’s clothes became such a success that a lease was signed at Bemidji’s Paul Bunyan Mall in 1980 and a second Patterson’s location was born. The mall store had a much younger demographic carrying lines like Fox Racing, Echo Unlimited, DC Shoes, Quicksilver, Silver Tab Jeans, and young women’s apparel. Patterson’s at the mall was open for 30 years before closing in 2011 to focus on the downtown location.

Ron and Ralyhe’s son, Steve entered the business in 1974 with his wife Sally, whom he met in Bemidji. It was during Steve and Sally’s time that men’s fashion saw a market shift from formal wear to casual. Lumberjacks, college professors, and local professionals alike used to spend their money on suits and ties, but in the 2000’s people’s interests have shifted to more casual sportswear.

Steve brought in lines like Patagonia, Kuhl, Smartwool, and The North Face. He also expanded Patterson’s apparel assortment to include women’s sportswear.

In April 2018, Steve and Sally’s daughter, Molly, and her husband Jeff Miller decided to try their hand at retail, becoming 4th generation business owners. Steve and Sally, like the generations before them, eased into retirement, knowing their family business was still in good hands.

Through financial prosperity and weak economic times, Patterson's has stood as a landmark in downtown Bemidji.