After 55 years, Ferrells owner retires

While many mom and pop stores have failed in today’s retail environment, Brent Tueller has managed to keep Ferrell’s clothing store in downtown Idaho Falls a successful business.

After 55 years at the same store, he is retiring and turning the store over to his daughter and son-in-law.

Tueller began working as assistant manager and eventually became the owner of Ferrells. Working in a clothing store was a perfect fit for Tueller’s personality.

“I’ve always liked clothes,” Tueller said. ” When I was a young man I always wanted to have nice clothes and have them pressed and looking nice. From the time I was eight years old I was pretty fussy about what I had on and how it looked.”

Over the years this truly has been a family business for Tueller and his wife, Kay. When the kids were growing up they were the store’s models for newspaper ads, and later every one of his kids and many of their spouses worked at the store.

“It’s kind of the place where you’re out of school or need some income where you come is to work for dad.”

Tueller says retail has its ups and downs. With more competition from the big box stores he’s had to adapt to succeed. Ferrells went from a full department store with mens, women’s, children’s and western clothing in the 60s, to eventually specializing in men’s suits. And there was one more thing they specialized in.

“We’ve always built this business on service and taking care of the customer, Tueller said. ” In the interim you make a lot of really, really good friends. I’m not going to really miss working, but I’m really going to miss visiting with my friends.”

So as Tueller retires and turns the business over to his daughter and son-in-law who’s worked there for 15 years, he’s not sure what his life will be like in retirement, but he knows he’ll miss this place and the people.

“I might come back to work for nothing just to visit with my friends,” Tueller joked.
Tueller says he’s so pleased that this store he’s put so much of his life into is remaining in the family and will continue to serve Idaho Falls.