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Debs & Brides Owner Reflects On Her Retail Work
May 27, 2008
By MEREDITH MARTIN
Index-Journal Intern
Greenwood, SC - Home is where the heart is, and for Martha Talbert, her home, Debs & Brides has been located on Main Street for more than 55 years.
The store is now going out of business. Talbert decided to retire after health problems with her husband, Ansel Talbert, started occurring last summer.
Talbert began her job in retail in 1950 at the Jewel Box, where Debs & Brides is now located. She was a senior at Greenwood High School. Talbert worked part-time after school and on Saturdays at the Jewel Box, and continued to work there after her senior year for an additional 11 years. Later, she took time off to care for her children.
When she was ready to get back to work, after about 10 years, she was employed part-time at a different building on the same corner, Bernie’s Jewelers. After her youngest daughter turned 12, she went full-time. |
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Martha Talbert, owner of Debs & Brides, looks over her “calculator” on her desk at the store. Talbert is closing the store after 58 years in business. (Staff photo by Meredith Martin) |
The late Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Briskin were the original owners of Debs & Brides, which they opened in the spring of 1970. Talbert worked for Debs & Brides and Bernie’s Jewelers, keeping books for both businesses, which were right next each other. When Bernie Briskin died, Cynthia Briskin sold both businesses. Bernie’s Jewelers was sold to Ernest Cannon, and Debs & Brides was sold to Talbert and her daughter, Debbie McClain, in 1983.
“Debbie is my silent partner,” Talbert said.
Debs & Brides began receiving great business at 227 Main St. Soon, they decided to move to a larger space right next door. Talbert would work by day, and her husband and son-in-law would renovate the new space by night.
Their new space, at 223 Main St., was opened four years later and has been the home of Debs & Brides for more than 20 years.
Having worked in the same location for 55-plus years, Talbert has seen many changes to Greenwood’s downtown area.
“Everything use to be downtown, and now all that is left are lawyer and attorney offices. There has been a complete turnover of businesses on the square,” Talbert said. “I’d like to see it all come back like it was.”
She mentioned old shops such as Vogue, the Style Shop, Whartons and Martha Park, an older chain outfit store.
Talbert was asked many times if she wanted to move her business.
“I never saw any need to move. I was called several times to move over to Wal-Mart’s plaza, but why would I want move over there?” she said.
Talbert loves her downtown location, especially since her shop window is seen from Main Street.
Talbert’s daughter, Debbie McClain, shared a story of the power of window shopping.
“We bought a dress for the Fourth of July to use as a window piece to attract customers. We had no intention of selling it, no idea anyone would want it,” McClain said.
She described the dress as having blue at the top with white sparkling stars and the skirt of the gown designed with stripes of red and white, just like the American flag.
“It was a very interesting dress.” Talbert said.
According to McClain, a woman from Pennsylvania saw the dress in the store window and loved it. Much to their surprise, she purchased it to wear in her wedding. They received money from the purchase, and also a funny story for later.
Besides having a gift for retail, Talbert is quite the mathematician.
“We have never had a computer in the store. Martha uses her head to figure out discounts, sales tax and everything in between,” her daughter, Debbie, said.
“I’m faster than the calculator,” Talbert joked.
Debbie also mentioned her mother’s kind nature.
“She is wonderful with people. We think she should be a Wal-Mart greeter after this,” McClain kidded.
Brooke New, a senior at Greenwood High School and granddaughter of Martha Talbert, has worked at Debs & Brides since her freshman year in high school.
“I want to reopen Debs & Brides again after five years or so when I get out of college,” New said.
The family saved the letters of 'Debs & Brides’ that were previously on the building, and New hopes to reuse them later when she reopens the business.
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