After I calmed down a bit, I began to reflect on my own personal history with The Cotton Mill. My first pair of designer jeans (Paper Denim and Cloth, if I recall) came from the Mill courtesy of Bob Nemer's expert denim buying skills. It was the place to go to find the best designers, often being sold in Nashville for the first time. Something new and chic was always to be found, whether it was in Cotton Mill Lifestyle, Collection, or the Nicole Miller boutique, and I was always angling for a shopping spree.
I'm sure many women in Nashville can relate, but I have can plot out my teenage years through my current age by the clothes I bought at the Cotton Mill. In early high school, it was outfits for homecoming and designer jeans to wear to football games (for those of use who wore uniforms to school, the perfect weekend outfit held great importance). Next was prom. My sister was rather close with a certain member of the Cotton Mill family during those years, so of course we attended prom decked out in CM's finest- Nicole Miller, ABS, Badgley Mischka. And since we went to an all-girls institution, it was double the proms i.e. double the dress opportunities! In fact, many of those dresses still hang in my old closet at my parents' home (much to the chagrin of my mother). Then came college and building the perfect wardrobe for that first impression away from home. And after college, being newly engaged and finding just the right dresses for my engagement parties and pre-wedding festivities. The Cotton Mill was there for it all.
I spent my winter breaks home from college working there, saving a little but mostly just funneling my paycheck back into the company coffers. I was guaranteed to see a constant stream of friends and prominent Nashvillians stop by to see what was new or just to say "hi". It was a great lesson in customer service- great product gets your customers through the door, but amazing customer service keeps them coming back. I may not have gone back to college with a chunk of savings, but I always returned to upstate New York with a fabulous new wardrobe and a lesson in business savvy.
More recently, I had the fabulous opportunity to join Bob and Martha and see them work in their element- at the shows in NYC. I watched Martha's expert eye as she viewed the latest collection in Nicole Miller's showroom. Superhumanly tall women swanned their way through the room in the latest styles, pausing to let us assess and judge for just a moment. Showroom assistants, decked out in black, rolled out rack after rack of garments, an overwhelming amount of stretch metallics, lace, and leather. To be able to make a split second decision on what to buy is a skill only experience and natural good taste can give, knowing your customers so well that you can pick just the right pieces and predict what will sell out first. Martha was always up to the task, weeding out the duds and making sure to order something fabulous.
And it's not just about the clothes. Whether it was the Melvin Case Christmas for Kids Foundation, Race for the Cure, or Hurry Up and Live!, giving back to the community was always a priority.
So, here is to 25 great years! Although The Cotton Mill is gone, I know that an exciting new chapter is starting for its owners. I can't wait to see what they get up to next. I know that much of Nashville will agree with me when I say that The Cotton Mill will be sorely missed, but not forgotten. Thank you to the Nemers for your support and friendship for so many years. I look forward to many more!
Much love,
Alice Fort Shearon
