You don’t have to speak with Steve Sanders very long to learn he is a busy man. “I see a guy coming in. Can I put you on hold for a second?” he says.
The owner of Stephan G. Sanders Fine Men’s Clothiers greets his customer and asks him about a recent trip. A few minutes later, Sanders brings client Doug McPherson into the conversation. “I walked by his store a couple of times and kept thinking, ‘I need to come down here and get some new suits,’” McPherson says. “And then I showed up, and it wasn’t there anymore.”
After more than 20 years in the Hulman Building at Sycamore and Northwest Fourth streets, Sanders in February relocated his store two blocks south — still in Downtown Evansville — to The Foundry on Fourth, a coworking space. Client Scott Saxe, senior vice president of Saxe Pinkston Financial Group, applauds the move. “It’s a beautiful new store with lots of room and flexibility and a great look, and it’s going to be a big success,” he says.
With more than 50 years of industry experience, Sanders is known for personalized service and quality clothing at the only independently owned menswear shop left in town. Customers like Saxe attest that the clothier’s support and expertise are unparalleled. “I’ve been a client of Steve’s for over 20 years, and his energy, his passion, and his commitment to his clients are just as strong today as it was back when I started his service,” Saxe says.
At the new store’s address, 104 S.E. Fourth St., Ste. 101, Sanders is starting a fresh chapter in his business while maintaining his competitive position in a niche market. “As business continues to grow, the reception has been really good,” he says. “So I see myself continuing on, doing what I’m doing, appealing to anybody who is looking for something that’s well-tailored.”
Last Man Standing
Shopping for fine men’s wear in Evansville used to have a variety of stores to choose from, but their options have dwindled over the years. For example, after more than 60 years in business on the West Side, Paul’s Menswear closed in 2024. Now, Men’s Wearhouse, a national chain, and Sanders’ shop are the only locations for custom suits and tuxedos. “At one time, there were probably 8-10 clothiers and clothing stores in Evansville, being a medium-sized market. Now, there’s basically me and a couple of other chain stores,” Sanders says.
The small business owner believes the closure of national department stores has helped a shop like his become the place to go for men’s formal wear. Sanders meets with a customer at least twice (consultation and fitting) before a suit leaves the store. An off-the-rack suit takes a week to get ready, while a custom suit requires four to six weeks. Sanders relies on a domestic manufacturer in the South that has been in business for close to 100 years for his custom suits. The fabrics come primarily from Italian woolen mills, including Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna at the high end.
Though buying suits online is an option, the clothier insists several limitations exist regarding custom fittings. “I just don’t see how a person can order a garment online and expect it to come in fully tailored to fit them in the shoulders, the sleeves, the coat length, the taper on the sides. That requires a tailor to look at the garment, examine it, and pin it to fit the client,” Sanders says. “Everything that goes out of our shop is fully tailored, fully pressed, and ready to go once the garment is picked up by the client.”
The need for customization is exactly why customers like McPherson, former Old National Bank chairman and CEO Bob Jones, and Boone Funeral Home owner Jordan Duncan come to Sanders. Duncan remembers the clothier being straightforward about the fit of his suit when he walked into the store. “[Steve] was like, ‘Come on, Jordan, you own a funeral home now, so you can’t look sloppy.’ In a nice, professional way, that’s what he said,” Duncan says.
Like other clients, Duncan affirms that Sanders’ work ethic and personality helped his menswear business survive COVID-19 and other economic challenges that forced other shops to fold. “I just said to [Steve] the other day, ‘What am I going to do if you ever decide to step out of this space?’ Because I don’t know who else tailors anymore,” Duncan says.
More Than a Measurement
Many of Sanders’ clients visit his store because of referrals, but they keep coming back because of connections. Lloyd Winnecke, Evansville Regional Economic Partnership’s president and CEO, compares the experience to a barbershop. “Everybody goes in to see Steve. A friend of mine who was a customer said, ‘Hey, you need to check this out.’ And so I did,” says Winnecke, who served three consecutive terms as Evansville’s mayor before joining E-REP in January 2024.
Jones reveals that Sanders keeps files on all of his clients, dating back to the clothier’s first introduction to the customer. “In his file for me, [Steve] has the letter that Old National sent out announcing my hiring [in 2004]. That’s why I got the quick call when I moved here,” Jones says. “It wasn’t just because he wanted a new client. He wanted to make sure I felt welcomed and included in the community.”
Sanders’ customer relationships often extend beyond fittings. Duncan mentions that the clothier networks on his behalf, connecting him to new opportunities. “In a former life, I used to travel and sing. So, he tries to get me singing gigs all over the place,” Duncan says. “He’s always looking out for me.”
One of Sanders’ longest relationships is with Marla Beaven, a master tailor with decades of industry experience. She joined his team more than two decades ago when he decided to become an entrepreneur. “[Steve] called and said, ‘I’m going to open a business. Can I count on you for my alterations?’ I said, ‘Yeah, sure.’ So we were partners from then on,” says Beaven, who works out of her East Side home. “It helped that he was so good at what he did, and I was known all over. … We worked as a good team.”
Seamless Transition
With a bittersweet tone, Sanders reflects on leaving the Hulman Building, a structure Indiana Landmarks placed on its 10 Most Endangered List in 2022 and 2023. Before his move, he was its longest tenant. “It’s a beautiful, historic building, and I hope something happens to preserve that building,” Sanders says. “Whether it be a boutique hotel, apartments — whatever happens there, it’s going to be residential. That’s the push of what’s going on in Downtown Evansville.”
Other Downtown projects, such as The Vault, a mixed-use development on Main Street, and a planned neighboring park, complement the shop’s new environment. “[The new store] puts him in a more vibrant location,” Winnecke says. “He’s got a great landlord, and it’s a win-win situation for him.”
Benefits at The Foundry on Fourth include better visibility, improved accessibility, and modern amenities. “We have a lobby (and) a full kitchen that’s there for me and my clients. It’s brighter,” says Sanders. “(Customers) can park right outside the front door and walk in. … It’s definitely worked out better.”
Saxe refers to the relocation as “a home run,” and Duncan loves what Sanders has done with the place. “I told (Steve), ‘You were busy before; you’re only going to get busier.’ Just the presentation, the look of the shop, the warmer feel, walking in it. It’s a great move,” Duncan says.
A Career That Still Fits
Last fall at the Hulman Building, as Sanders contemplated his options for the future, Winnecke offered some reassurance — while searching for slacks. “I said, ‘You are a destination,’” Winnecke recalls. “‘People are going to go to you wherever you are. If you’re two blocks away, they’re still going to come to you.’”
Sanders’ reputation for white-glove service combined with a range of products — including suits, sport coats, trousers, dress shirts, neckwear, and shoes — sets his business apart in the menswear industry. His formalwear business, which includes tuxedos, is also strong. “When [Steve] says the suit’s going to be done on a certain day, it’s done on that day. There are no ifs, ands, or buts. And the quality has always been tremendous. You get this amazing selection to choose from, but the tailoring is just phenomenal,” Winnecke says.
Shelby Bartholome, whose husband, Justin, and his father purchased wedding suits from Sanders last year, emphasizes the clothier’s communication skills. She notes that Sanders was receptive to the couple’s needs and considerate of their price range. “Justin’s suit was custom made from head to toe … and he got to choose every piece of it,” says Bartholome, Executive Assistant for the University of Evansville’s Vice President of Student Affairs. “I was so glad he got to have such a nice, special, high-quality experience regarding his outfit, similar to what I did with my dress.”
As Jones put it, Sanders is not just “the gentleman who provides me with my clothing,” he is a friend. It’s a sentiment that Sanders shares.
“It’s more than just walking in and taking care of business. These customers, they get to know you. You get to know them. It’s more of an exchange of friendship. And it’s just the way the business works,” Sanders says. “Quite frankly, that’s why I’m still at it. When you go to work, you don’t feel like you’re at work.”
Steve Says: Men’s Fashion Trends
What’s In: During his extensive time in the industry, Steve Sanders has witnessed a shift in the fit of menswear. Today’s customers prefer something slim and tailored over roomy suits. Italian blue is a popular suit color, paired with a colored or patterned shirt and walnut or medium-brown shoes. The sport coat-and-jeans combination is fashionable, according to Sanders; he says nearly every sport coat customer asks whether denim will go with the outfit. Open collars and pocket squares are another big part of the business and complete the look.
What’s Out: Sanders has watched the necktie go from part of a daily uniform to occasional wear, though it’s still worn by lawyers and other professionals. The full suit has followed a similar pattern, shifting from an office staple to special events. Pleated pants have largely vanished in favor of a plain-front, tapered-leg look, according to master tailor Marla Beaven. Cuffed hems were once non-negotiable, but she says almost nobody asks for them anymore. Bold, wide plaids have also been replaced by quieter, more subdued fabrics.
