By CRAIG MILLAR NOV. 7, 2014
RALEIGH — Houston-based Men’s Wearhouse Inc. (NYSE: MW) announced Thursday that their flagship clothier for middle management would be offering an unprecedented deal: Jos. A. Bank will now offer anyone buying three of their exclusive, breathable, wrinkle-free and stain-resistant shirts a brand-new or gently used Jos. A. Bank franchise for free.
The Cameron Village Jos. A. Bank. Buying an Executive Line wool suit will earn you a spot on the Board of Directors.
“This is our biggest deal yet,” said brand president Paul Fitzpatrick, speaking in a breathy voice at a news conference while classical horn music played behind him. “Jos. A. Bank. Where quality matters. Buy three shirts. Get. One. Franchise. Absolutely. Free.”
J.A.B. has long been known for offering large numbers of additional items on top of what the customer has already committed to buying. While best known for giving away four suits in reward for buying just one instead of simply cutting prices to 20% of retail, Bank’s BOGO policy nearly ended in disaster a few years ago when they offered an all-expenses paid trip to Maui to anyone buying a mix-n-match wool-blend pants and blazer combo.
“Men’s Wearhouse has put us on a much more predictable path,” said Fitzpatrick. “We have benchmarks, and we feel we not only meet those but also expand our brand’s reach and sell more luxurious, no dry-clean Oxford shirts by offering ownership in the company. Everyone wins.”
The deal is even sweeter for the lucky Assistant VP of Diversity Hiring who gets the Cameron Village franchise: Jos. A. Bank will include the bar/grill/balcony cocaine exchange that used to be Clarence Foster’s, Foster’s, and Nelson’s to the immediate right of the store.