Frank Ventresca Talks about Change, Adapting

For many years, the growth of Ventresca Ltd. Men’s Store was steady and rewarding. That is, until the recession hit - and lingered.

The downturn forced owner Frank Ventresca, who had started the business in 1981 in Jenkintown before moving to Doylestown, to take steps to remain viable.

“Between June and November 2008, I had to do something I’d never done before in my life: I had to lay off ten people,” said Ventresca. “Some had been with me for 22 years. They were loyal, honest, respectful and had helped me build my business.”

As a business owner who relies on his employees, the layoffs were “heart-wrenching,” Ventresca said. They had a chilling effect on the scion of the Doylestown family of tailors and clothiers.

“It was the first time my business was vulnerable.”

Ventresca shared those thoughts recently at the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce’s Business to Business breakfast. He was speaking as an independent retailer that caters to a high-end clientele about his business strategies and staying strong during the economic downturn.

The event was sponsored by Bucks County Bank and LaSalle University and hosted by the Waterwheel Restaurant.

“Everyone knows how difficult the economy has been the last three years,” Ventresca said. “And if you’re in retail, you go back to square one and start over again. The backbone of this country is small businesses. Small businesses pick themselves up and dust themselves off. I feel privileged to be a part of that.”

Frank and his brother Len, who run the business today, are a couple of generations from the original Ventresca tailors who set up shop here in Doylestown.

Frank’s first small Jenkintown store offered custom-made men’s clothing; in 1988, seeing an opportunity, he moved down the street to a larger space and added ready-to-wear menswear.

Ventresca’s Ltd. became a significant component of that town’s business scene and community for 25 years before he relocated to Doylestown about five years ago.

Now, in addition to custom-tailored menswear, the store at 145 W. State Street in the borough offers tuxedo rentals, high-end ready-to-wear and custom-made women’s apparel as well.

The men’s store is a favorite among local sports celebrities — and among locals who attend Ventresca Ltd. events featuring some of their favorite personal sports icons.

“It’s important for [independent retail operations] to turn around and set themselves as different from the nationals and big box stores,” he said. “[While] professionals are the backbone of my business, professional sports are too vulnerable a platform to build your business on. Relationships and development of clientele – it’s not ‘one and done.’ I treat them the same way [as all my clients]. They’re the highest profile, but they’re not the only ones.”

Ventresca said he is happy to be located in Doylestown, where he said the economy hasn’t seemed to have taken so hard a hit and seems to be recovering faster.

“We’re very fortunate. This is a very active community. The decline here has not mirrored the extremes in other parts of the country.”

Noting that Ventresca Ltd. celebrates its 30th anniversary in business on October 12, he said, “I’m very proud of that.”