39 years ago, almost exactly, a large advertisement wishing school athletes good luck appeared in the Wright County Monitor. The ad was purchased by a new store called Mister G’s and advised readers they would be opening soon. Later that month, the 102 Main Street Clarion store selling menswear opened up. At the time, the man behind the store, Larry Guth, probably could not have predicted how the store would flourish. Now, Guth is finally ready to say goodbye after four amazing decades.
Going back all those years, Guth said opening a clothing store was nothing he really had planned. He grew up in Meservey and held a variety of non-retail jobs after college. Guth changed his course when he stumbled upon a job in a men’s clothing store in Mason City and discovered that he really had a passion for fashion. Within a few years of working in Mason, Guth said the opportunity arose to open a store in Clarion, and Mister G’s was born.
Mister G’s opened in September of 1981. Guth explained that back then it was all menswear. He sold suits, ties, sport coats, dress shirts as well as sportswear. At the time, menswear was more formal so the average man might need various suits for work. Guth also laughs when he thinks back on the coordinated outfits that were trendy at the time. For instance, he remembers selling many a matching golf outfit. He also did tuxedo rentals.
Clarionites remember the early days of Mister G’s. Karen Weld, who was head of the Chamber of Commerce around when Guth opened, said some people were surprised that he was not selling farm work clothes. “He really knew what he wanted to do though and had a lot of great ideas.”
Clarion Mayor Duane Asbe recalls buying most of his suits from Mister G’s during his years in banking in the 80s and 90s. “You could always tell that Larry knew his trade,” Asbe emphasized. These were the days of Oliver Stone’s hit movie “Wall Street,” so a good business suit was a must.
Over the years, other clothing stores in Clarion came and went, but Guth stayed put. He credits his longevity with being able to listen to his customers. “I learned to adapt. I worked to give my customers what they wanted so they followed along with me even as fashion and trends changed.”
One major change that Guth made over the years was adding women’s clothes. Mister G’s for Her was originally a separate store a few doors north of the main store. It was a successful move says Guth. A few years down the road, he was able to incorporate the women’s clothing into the men’s store after he expanded the lower level of the building. He also became known throughout the area for his fun Spring Style Shows.
Guth said the best part of the job has been serving his amazing customers. He adds that he loved working with shoppers to help them find clothes that suited them. “Some people have never gotten help picking out clothes.” Guth would often lend his educated eye, and by all accounts, had a knack for dressing people well. “Seeing the joy in the eyes of a customer who is happy with their outfit or getting a new customer based on a satisfied recommendation has been so rewarding,” he said.
The storeowner appreciates the loyalty of his many shoppers. Guth laughs when he commented on his longevity. “I guess you know you’re doing something right when you help dress someone for prom, then their wedding, and years later, their kids’ prom!”
As the decades passed by, Guth saw fashions come and go. He chuckles to remember some of the styles through the year. He says he shakes his head at the wide-leg pant styles from the 90s and is happy to see a current style that is narrower and more complimentary for all. He adds that he often didn’t obsess about following all the trends. “I knew what styles would work for customers, and I would go with those.”
One of those faithful customers is Florine Swanson, who has been a Mister G’s shopper since the store opened. Swanson says she has shopped there almost exclusively for her husband and eventually sons, grandsons and herself since Guth opened. The store is such a family staple that every year the men in the family get a matching gift from Mister G’s, often based on a Guth recommendation.
Swanson asserts that she wholeheartedly trusts Guth’s tastes. Recently, she knew that he could help her find just what she needed for a wedding even though she only had ten minutes to shop. “All I have to do is go in and say, ‘Here’s what I need, Larry.’” She adds that she knows of women from out of state who just have Guth pick out their entire seasonal wardrobe based on his knowledge of the customer and ships it to them. “We were so lucky to have him this long!” says Swanson.
Not only were shoppers lucky to have Guth, but so was the town of Clarion. He has been very active over the years, from helming Festival in the Park for years, leading the Clarion RAGBRAI committee or helping organize the Teddy Bear Convention. “Over the years, Clarion was so good to me that I really enjoyed giving back and volunteering.” One of Guth’s best memories is having a hand in the design of a special Clarion edition Boyds Bear.
Weld remembers from her years in the Chamber that Guth was great at planning and knew how to carry out ideas. “If Larry said he was going to do something, you knew it would get done well. He really knew how to get people interested in Clarion.” Mayor Asbe echoes that sentiment, “Larry knew how to bring people in. His community involvement was really appreciated.”
In the last few years, Guth said he had a feeling that the time would soon be right to make his exit. Though he had to be closed for several weeks due to COVID, he said that wasn’t really a deciding factor. “I had been thinking about it for a few years. When you know, you know.” Guth looks forward to taking it easy in retirement with no deadlines.
Guth says more than anything, he’ll miss the customers who became his friends over the years. His customers too will miss him for that reason. Both Weld and Swanson affirmed, “You would come in as a customer, but pretty soon, you were a friend.”
As he looks back on the last four decades, Guth is proud of what he has accomplished and says, “I’m so thankful that it’s lasted this long.” He added that even after almost forty years, it just seems like yesterday that he opened. “It’s been a blur because I have loved my job. And I still like it today.”
Mister G’s closing sale is going on now, with lots of great items still available. Guth said he doesn’t have an exact date for when he plans to close but encourages everyone to come in soon.
