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The privately owned company— which sells men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, jewelry and shoes— is leasing the former Klaff’s space at 14 Post Road E. and plans to open March 6. It will be the first South Moon Under location in Connecticut and the rest of New England, and the 22nd overall.
“We’ve been moving north for the last several years,” said Gage Lester, vice president of sales and marketing. “We look for the right people and a place we think we have something new to bring to the table, and we certainly feel that way about Westport.”
Founded in 1968 as a surf shop, South Moon Under has evolved into a “full-on fashion-forward” retailer carrying an eclectic mix of items, Lester said. Although the type of merchandise has changed, he said the company—through slow, controlled growth— has held onto its casual approach.
“We pride ourselves on being a non-mall, Main Street-based alternative lifestyle center,” he said. “We really prefer to be apart of people’s everyday lives as opposed to being stuck in a mall.”
Unlike some other clothing stores, Lester said South Moon Under doesn’t have any brand loyalties. Instead, the company “cherry picks the best of the best brands” and receives shipments five days a week, he said. In doing so, merchandise is always changing based on trends and demand, meaning what’s in store one day may be gone the next.
It’s the company’s ever-changing inventory, Lester said, that makes South Moon Under stand out from other clothing retailers.
“Our selection truly is one of a kind,” he said. “We have loyal customers who come in once a week because we have something different to offer them all the time.”
Aside from its diverse inventory, the company prides itself on providing high-quality customer service, Lester said. Employees, he said, cater service to each person’s individual needs.
Although South Moon Under carries men's and women's brands, the Westport store will only sell women's merchandise. It will join locations in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey and New York.
“We are looking forward to learning more about and becoming part of the Westport community,” Lester said.
South Moon Under is currently accepting applications for the Westport location. To apply, visit the South Moon Under "careers" webpage.
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