CityView Magazine

business Take a Bow T A Bragg Boulevard store finds a market hungry for distinctive mens accessories By Michael Jaenicke hirty years ago Micheline Alexan- here and walk out and see someone else wearing a duplicate of der's eyes popped when she saw a gentle- it. Our styles are like none other because and we only buy one man make a grand entrance at the NCO Club in Fort Ord in Monterey, Calif. "He came in wearing black slacks, a white shirt, a black and white jacket and a bow tie," she said. "He was well-mannered and dressed nicely. I remember him saying he would never wear a pre-tied tie." Marcus Alexander kept his "notie" fashion promise a year later when he tied the marital knot with Micheline. Five years ago the retired United States Army 1st Sgt. started impressing the public with his distinctive designer ties, cuff links, ascots, scarves and shirts. He sold them from cardboard boxes that he shuffled in and out of a truck. "It caught fire quickly," he said. "I was selling merchandise as quickly as it came in. It was almost hard to believe the demand that was out there." In 2011, the operation upgraded and renamed as Ties by Marcus opened its doors at 1338 Bragg Boulevard. Marcus Alexander said attire and accessories at the store are unique and cutting edge chic, whether the items are classical, modern, nouveau or extreme artsy styles. "We specialize in originality," Alexander said. "Everything in the store is one-of-a-kind. People frequently come in asking for something they saw and we have to say, 'Well, we sold that yesterday or last week. You're not going to buy something or two of many items." Bow ties are a marquee item in the store. "They're really popular now after making yet another comeback last spring," Alexander said. "They're being worn by the young, middle aged and older populations. For some people a bow tie may be just something fun, new, creative or something to put into their clothing inventory." Some people — George Will, Louis Farrakahan, Tucker Carlson, Mo Rocca, Paul Reubens, the late Steve Jobs — have used the bow tie as a trademark or signature style. But they merely revamped the style from such notaries as Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud, who borrowed the bow tie bonanza from the upper class French society of the 18th century, who ironically borrowed the look from Croatian mercenaries during the Prussian Wars a century earlier. Alexander said his current line puts a new twist on bow ties and he will soon unveil even more innovative touches. "I did a lot of research into what we carry and have a brand new style that no one has ever seen before that evolved from the B2 line (code named after the B-2 bomber)," he said. "People are really going to take notice when C2 (Command and Control) comes out." "In my opinion bow ties already pop or stand out, but we're CityViewNC.com | 33

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