By Charles Petty

The famous designer Tom Ford once said  “dressing well is a form of good manners.”

If that’s the case, men in the Lee County community will have a chance to get their manners polished up soon with a new store set to open this fall.

Morgan’s Menswear will be a locally owned store that will help to better dress men who are in need of stylish, quality clothing.

Owner Ashley Whitaker, who also owns and operates Added Accents at 124 S. Steele St., saw creating Morgan’s as an opportunity to diversify the shopping options for men locally. Whitaker said she and her husband Jeremey both share a love of small business ownership and helping to better their community.

The store, which will operate at 119 Wicker St. in the former Brenda’s Jewelers location, is also rooted in a piece of Sanford’s history. Ashley Whitaker’s grandfather, father and uncle ran a men’s clothing shop in the Kendale shopping center in Jonesboro called Morgan’s Limited from the 1960s through the 90s, and the memories of the Kendale store are still strong in her mind. She said the nostalgia of growing up with a family who had a menswear store, and the need for such a business locally drove her decision to create a boutique exclusively catering to men’s fashion.

“There are numerous boutiques for women to shop in downtown, so it would be a great addition to have a store for men,” she said.

Ashley Whitaker said she hopes to open in early October. The store will carry brands including Johnnie O’s, Onward Reserve, Duckhead, Fish Hippie, Brooks Brothers, and more, with an emphasis on business style, with options for casual clothing as well.

“The store will be a great draw to that side of Wicker Street and will be a great feature to the many amazing stores already in downtown,” she said.