Al's Formal Wear
| Industry | Clothing |
|---|---|
| Founder | A. Haller |
| Headquarters | Fort Worth, Texas |
Key people | Yetta Haller |
| Products | Tuxedos |
Al's Formal Wear originated as a tuxedo rental chain established by A. Haller. The enterprise began as the A. Haller Taylor Shop located at 311 Main Street in Fort Worth, Texas in 1950.[1] Over time, the business expanded into multiple states and was headquartered in Houston Template:Fix/category[citation needed].
History
Following the death of A. Haller in 1950, ownership disputes arose concerning the entity now recognized as Al's Formal Wear in Fort Worth. Under community property law, control of the company transferred to his widow, Yetta Haller. The Hallers had three daughters, each inheriting an equal one-third share of the business. Al Sankary and his son Jerry H. Sankary traveled to Los Angeles to retain the legal services of the firm Sankary, Altshuler and Sachs. Joel Sachs, an attorney specializing in Trusts and Estates, was tasked with clarifying the ownership percentages among family members. Over subsequent years, Sankary strategically acquired shares from Esther, Betty, and Lillian. He continued to innovate by exploring various business models including bridal boutiques, mall kiosks, manufacturing formalwear internally, and supplying uniforms for military cleaning services. Sankary was a strong proponent of vertical integration, overseeing everything from formalwear production to rental retailing, cleaning services, and inventory management.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
In 1957, Sankary invited his sister Lillian and her husband, Alan Gaylor,[2] to join the enterprise. The company eventually expanded to over 100 outlets across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Colorado, Mississippi, and Oklahoma Template:Fix/category[citation needed]. In 1978, Alan Gaylor and Al Sankary divided their operations; Gaylor retained ownership of Al's Formal Wear locations based in Houston while Sankary controlled those in the Dallas area. This split sometimes caused confusion among customers but remained until 1999 when Gaylor’s Houston-based Al's Formal Wear purchased the Dallas operations from Sankary. At that time, the unified company operated roughly 120 stores under the Al's Formal Wear, Ascot Tuxedos, and BridesMart brands across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. By 2006, after some consolidation and divestiture of the bridal division, the number of tuxedo outlets decreased to between 90 and 100. Following acquisition of Mr. Neat’s Formalwear in Colorado and further expansion into Arkansas and Mississippi, Al's Formal Wear extended its presence to six states with over 100 locations Template:Fix/category[citation needed].
The company offered rentals of more than 50 tuxedo brands and styles. Additionally, they retailed formal attire, accessories, and professional apparel. Orders for weddings, high school proms, quinceaneras, and other special occasions were fulfilled through their distribution centers. The business ceased operations suddenly in August 2023. At closure, Al's Formal Wear remained a family-owned enterprise,[3] with Stuart Gaylor, son of Alan Gaylor, serving as company president.
References
- ↑ "Founder of Al's Formal Wear Dead at 86". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
- ↑ "Saul Offit Honored by IFA". International Formalwear Association. 2006-09-23. Archived from the original on 2006-09-23. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
- ↑ Jackson, Cynthia J. (2003-10-01). "Baylor University To Honor 13 Texas Family Businesses". Baylor University. Retrieved 2025-01-17.Template:Primary source inline
- Ho, Rodney (2000), "Family Dispute in Formal Attire: Two Distinct Business Approaches Merge into One Enterprise", Wall Street Journal, New York, New York
- Houston Business Journal, (2000). "Leading 50 Family-Owned Enterprises"
- Van Camp, Emily, (2005). "The Family Enterprise: Al's Formal Wear Meets the Challenge with Its Network of Formal Wear Outlets." US Business Review 6.2, p. 284.