About The Klein Group
Hello and Welcome to The Klein Group!
Who would have thought, 38 years ago, that I would be writing the story of The Klein Group and putting it on my website???
My Start in this business was rather unconventional. I was a stay at home mom when I decided to start selling samples out of my house. I knew things had to change when a precious little one put bubble gum in my carpet. So, I opened up my first store; which happened to be on the worst day of the year to open a store…the Monday after Easter! With the help of my incredible husband, Denny, and a wonderful group of people working with me, amazingly the store survived and we grew to 10 stores over the state of Texas. In the 80's, when things began to get tough, we closed all of the stores.
Now what do I do? A man named Irwin Chaiken, from New York, said "Why don't you become a rep?" He said he would give me his line and show me what to do. I had no idea what all that meant! All I knew was how I wanted my customers to feel when they entered my showroom, and that was that they were a guest in my home. I knew Specialty Stores were the backbone of the industry, but Irwin also showed me the world of the Department Stores. He really taught me how to understand the business and I will always appreciate him for showing me how to be a rep. He is a great friend and teacher! And the rest is history…
One thing I want you to know is, I did not build this business by myself. Jen Rush was with me for 10 years and really helped me grow my Dallas business. David Feinberg, with Mulberribush, gave us our start in Atlanta. I will always be grateful to both for all of their help!! Then, when Jen decided to open her own showroom, I was again blessed with an amazing group of people to work with…
Patricia, who has been with me for 15 years, has taught me so much!!! Her customer service is absolutely the best, her product knowledge is impeccable, and most of all she cares about all of us, manufacturers, customers, and staff! She has the trust of every store she works with, they adore her. She is a very special person in my life. Love you Patricia!!
Elizabeth was one of my Neiman Marcus buyers who wanted a part time job. Little did she know that she would become a permanent part of the team. Her knowledge and great eye for fashion is incredibly valuable to what we do here at The Klein Group. She finds some of the best lines for us, she knows the department store business and all the financial info that goes along with it. She is amazing with all buyers from small stores to large. Love you Elizabeth!
Patsy, the most positive person I know! She started working market for us and was so incredibly good, that we had to have her join our team. Her energy and ideas are amazing and her merchandising skills are flawless! Her retail background with Banana Republic is a great foundation to understand the specialty store market. The customers absolutely love her! She is the best showroom manager that we have ever had in Dallas! Love you Patsy!
Pamela came to us for a job that was already filled, but again, we knew that she was going to be a great asset to The Klein Group, so we created a position for her. We just couldn't let her go anywhere else, and what a good decision that was! Her background working in retail and on the manufacturing side of the business is such an asset to us! She also worked for Byer California, so she too works great with stores big and small. She is also a wiz on the computer and helps keep us all organized. The stores love her too! Love you Pam!
Denny is our CFO. He keeps all of us in line financially, and of course I really love him too! We've been married for 44 years!
I am thrilled to announce The Klein Group has added 3 wonderful people to our team. We are so lucky to have them join us! Below is their stories about how they came to join our family…
Ginka - I began my retail career working part-time at Saks in college and went on to manage and buy for a specialty store in Boston for 7 years. When I moved back home to Atlanta, I was interested in making the switch from the retail side to the wholesale side and was introduced to Marilyn through one of the vendors I used to buy from. It was a match made in heaven! I began by working market and then moved on to managing her Atlanta showroom. I'm looking forward to growing my career in the kids apparel business with Marilyn and The Klein Group Team!
Moriah - Since I can remember, I have always had a fetish for fashion. It is just something in my blood. I've always known it was the industry I wanted to be a part of and am always finding exciting things to broaden my knowledge. I even traveled to Los Angeles to attend FIDM's Days of Fashion, where I was fortunate to meet and learn from designers from all around the world. I actually began my college career in fashion merchandising. However, I was blessed with a once in a lifetime opportunity for an internship with the five-star company, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and knew I had to spread my wings and fly. I loved being a princess so much I decided to become a seasonal cast member at the "happiest place on earth." After my internship, I decided to pursue my education at the University of Oklahoma where I was blessed with great opportunities, while I also continued my Disney experience during breaks from school and holidays. I graduated with high honors from OU with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations. After graduation, I began my Klein Group journey by helping work market and traveled to help with out-of-town shows. I quickly fell in love with all the wonderful people who make this such a great organization and am thankful to be a part of such an amazing team. I am truly blessed!
The Success of The Klein Group is threefold:
- We are blessed with wonderful people, both full-time and part-time! They love what they do and it shows!
- We are blessed with amazing lines! What wonderful opportunities we have been given!
- BUT, MOST OF ALL, we would have never been so successful without our fabulous customers!!!!