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Century in Style: State College fashion icon Harpers continues to grow, reinvent after 100 years

By Walt Frank 8 min read

STATE COLLEGE -- Harpers in downtown State College is having quite a year.

The upscale clothing business is celebrating 100 years in business and was recently honored by the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County as its Small Business of the Year.

"Harpers is the kind of business this award was created for. Reaching

100 years is remarkable on its own, but what sets Harpers apart is its generations of family ownership, continued reinvestment in downtown State College, and a commitment to this community that goes well beyond retail," said CBICC President/CEO Greg Scott.

"At a time when independent retailers face real pressure from online shopping and national chains, Harpers has continued to grow and reinvent itself, from its expanded downtown location to the new store at the Nittany Lion Inn. Brian and Lisa Cohen carry forward a century of character and community engagement that show that Harpers understands that business is about people, not just products. Harpers represents the enduring strength of locally owned businesses, and Centre County is fortunate to have them."

Harpers has an interesting history.

Jack Harper founded the business in 1926 at 114 E. College Ave. while Joseph Cohen founded the Young Men's Shop in Altoona the same year.

Current owner Brian Cohen, Joseph's grandson, said the two men were similar.

"The two shared great taste, beautifully merchandised stores, and a belief in excellent customer service. They were classic haberdashers," Cohen said.

The men were not really competitors.

"In that era they were not competitors. The only people from Altoona that knew Jack Harper attended Penn State. More State College people knew about the Young Men's Shop, people from State College went to Altoona to go shopping," Cohen said.

In 1982, Brian's parents Joel and Susan Cohen opened a second Young Men's Shop in State College in the then-newly built Calder Square II.

Brian was attending school at American University in Washington, D.C., and had a part-time job in a men's clothing store.

"It clicked that this was something I wanted to do," Cohen said.

In 1985, he moved to State College and opened a women's boutique called Gia Gia, and ran it for seven years. While doing that, he started working at the Young Men's Shop doing marketing and sales.

Also in 1985, the Young Men's Shop in downtown Altoona moved to Regency Square before closing in 2001. Cohen's parents retired at that time.

In 2000, Cohen guided the merger of Jack Harper and Young Men's Shop, uniting two long legacies of fashion, friendliness and service under the name Jack Harper's Young Men's Shop at

114 E. College Ave.

"The guys that owned Jack Harpers, they approached me, we came to an agreement to blend the stores together. I was the operating partner, four years later they were gone and it was just me and my wife Lisa," Cohen said. "The merger put us on the path we are on today."

The name of the business was changed to Harpers in 2007.

In 2017, the business moved to 224 E. College Ave. The new store is two and a half times larger than the original Jack Harper location, featuring multiple levels and a full tailor shop.

In 2024, Harpers was invited to open a new location in the lobby of the historic Nittany Lion Inn. This location features Penn State apparel from Harper's Varsity Club, established by Brian Cohen in 2013, and curated sections of men's and women's apparel and accessories.

Today Harpers offers tailored clothing, elevated sportswear, and classic footwear for men. They create custom clothing and provide tuxedo rentals for special occasions; and their suit package is a longtime favorite for Penn State graduations and career fairs. Harpers Women's Boutique features clothing from all over the world, hand-selected styles for work, the weekend, and nights out on the town. Harpers Varsity Club offers unique Penn State apparel and accessories you won't find anywhere else.

"It is our take on Penn State apparel, upscale Penn State merchandise, we have our niche," Cohen said.

Harpers has a staff of 20 and three in house tailors. Cohen said custom made tailored clothing makes up about 30% of the business.

Cohen said Harpers has customers from all over the world and does direct mail to zip codes in more than 40 states.

"We are a men's and women's clothing store, but as a store we are about helping people find clothing for work, everyday, weddings, whatever people need. We love helping people and helping them figure out what they want, our business is about people," Cohen said. "Back in my grandfather's day, it was always about people, helping them with what they were looking for. "When people come in here we want to be sure that they have a good time and enjoy the experience, our staff is real personable and have a great relationship with our customers."

Cohen said he has seen three generations of customers come into the store.

"It is fun to see generations of customers. We see people from Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Florida, when they come back for games, they shop with us when they return," Cohen said.

Scott is a Harpers customer.

"I appreciate the quality and style of Harpers, but more importantly, I value the small-town feel and the attention to detail they give every customer. In this day and age, that kind of service is rare," Scott said.

State College Mayor Ezra Nanes and Clay Steadman, general manager of the Penn State wrestling program, are also customers.

"The quality of the

clothing is exceptional --

I honestly don't own anything that gets more compliments than my Harper's sport coats and suits -- but what really distinguishes Harpers is the experience. Brian, Lisa and their team combine tremendous knowledge and creativity with genuine hospitality and personal attention. You leave with something that feels distinctly your own, and you feel good wearing it for years," Names said.

"Harpers quality is consistent and the service is personal. They know how a suit should fit and they take the time to get it right. That's hard to find," Steadman said. "When I need a suit, shirt, or tie that I can count on, I go to Harpers. The craftsmanship is excellent, and the people there actually care about how you look and feel in the clothes. Real professionals and experts in making people look great."

Harpers has played a key role in the downtown State College business district over the years.

"Harpers has been an example of what makes locally owned businesses so important to a downtown. They consistently set a high standard for customer service, thoughtful merchandising, quality products, and creating an inviting shopping experience. Other businesses should look to Harpers as an example of how to build lasting customer relationships and earn the loyalty of generations of customers," said Executive Director Lee Anne Jeffries of the Downtown State College Improvement District."Their longevity speaks not only to their ability to adapt to changing retail trends and customer expectations , but also to the importance of personal connections and a commitment to the community. A business with that kind of history and staying power is invaluable to downtown, contributing to our district's character and sense of place."

"Harpers is one of the defining businesses of downtown State College. For 100 years, it has been a pillar of our downtown -- a business residents value, alumni remember, and a retail destination that draws people into our community. Just as importantly, the Cohen family has consistently invested its time, energy, and leadership back into downtown State College. Harper's exemplifies what a great locally owned business can mean to the life and character of a community," Nanes said.

Harpers continues to hand out the Blanket Award, established by Joseph Cohen, an honor still given annually to the senior football players at Altoona and Bishop Guilfoyle high schools who best exemplify Joe's core values of hard work, integrity, dedication and leadership.

"I'm very proud to further my grandfather's legacy by continuing to present the Blanket Award, an honor nine years older than the Heisman Trophy," Cohen said.

Cohen said the key to Harpers' success is simple.

"Besides working hard it is having good customer service and having a good staff to carry out our goals. They (customers) come here and have a great experience," Cohen said.

He said it is pretty exciting to reach 100 years in business.

"One hundred years is great, we worked hard," Cohen said. "We are still growing, we want to continue to grow and reach more people. We have a lot of opportunities to keep growing."

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.

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