South Willard | The Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times

Salesmen who put male shoppers at ease

By Heather John
The Los Angeles Times
January 24, 2010

Ryan Conder, South Willard

When it comes to service, personal relationships are what separates the men from the boys, if you will. And at his South Willard boutique on West 3rd Street, Ryan Conder knows his customer well. “Our customer is someone who cares about design and quality,” says Conder, 36. “He doesn’t necessarily spend a ton of money. He maybe buys two things a season and makes an educated buy.”

Of course, Conder has done his homework so his customer can make those smart choices, offering a carefully chosen selection from designers Dries Van Noten, Margaret Howell, Patrik Ervell, Band of Outsiders and South Willard’s own line of shirts, shoes and jeans manufactured in Seattle, Japan and Maine. A Margaret Howell chambray flannel shirt might run you $183, and South Willard’s Japanese jeans fetch $238 a pair. Much like the clothes Conder sells, the store’s aesthetic is clean and minimalist, with a long table in the center that features photography books, pressed cotton wallets and neckties.

“He seems to sell only things that could be described as wardrobe essentials, not superfluous. And as a result, just about everything I’ve bought from him in the past six years I still wear on a regular basis,” says Hugh Garvey, features editor at Bon Appétit magazine and co-founder of Gastrokid, a blog and social network geared toward foodie families. “Three years ago, I bought a perfect black suit from him, by a now-defunct Belgian company. I’ve wanted to buy other suits from him since, and he’s actually talked me out of buying stuff that he knew I wouldn’t be happy with in the long term. Does that make him a good salesman or a good therapist?”

South Willard, 8030 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles. (323) 653-6153. Noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. www.southwillard.com