If you’ve spent any amount of time in downtown Charleston, you probably know M. Dumas & Sons without even realizing you know it. It’s one of those places that has been around so long it becomes part of the background in the best possible way. It is comforting and familiar, the kind of shop you point out to visitors with a little pride.
When the team found out they’d been nominated for Best Of, the reaction was a feeling of honor. It was more of a warm, quiet feeling that settled over everyone. Even though their Mount Pleasant shop is still the “new kid,” the downtown store has been holding its place on King Street for 108 years. That kind of history adds weight to any recognition.
In 1917, Mendel Dumas opened a tiny storefront and started outfitting the people who kept the city moving. Dockworkers, service members, naval officers preparing to ship out were the folks walking through the door. It wasn’t glamorous or the cutting edge of fashion. Mendel simply believed that if you treated people well and offered them what they needed, that they’d come back. And they did. That plain, steady approach is a big part of why the store is still standing generations later.
The shop never reinvented itself with some big, dramatic shift. It has changed over time little by little, adapting without losing its center. When Charleston’s style started shifting in the ’60s and ’70s, the store shifted with it. They brought in new pieces that made sense for the moment while keeping what had always worked. Then in 1993, someone made a call that didn’t seem like much at the time. They wanted to introduce a little-known brand called Tommy Bahama. It felt right and so it was added. But that moment nudged the store in a new direction and set the stage for how they choose brands even today.
A lot of the energy behind the modern store comes from Scott Herron, who’s been managing it for the past several years. Before joining Dumas, Herron spent 13 years at Nordstrom, working his way through just about every role you can imagine. Retail isn’t just something Herron does; it’s something he grew up around. His father owned a shop similar to Dumas, and he picked up the kind of lessons you don’t forget: write the thank-you note, return the call, take the extra minute and always follow through. Those habits show up all over the place at M. Dumas & Sons through handwritten notes, personal calls, thoughtful check-ins and a real commitment to under promising and overdelivering.
How did this business grow? Slowly, and with intention. Through good people, well-chosen brands, face-to-face conversations and being present in the community. These include pop-ups, small events and showing up where their customers already are. Nothing flashy. Just consistency.
At the end of the day, M. Dumas & Sons has always been about people more than products. The clothes matter, of course, but relationships have kept the doors open for more than a century. The team is genuinely humbled by the nomination, and they’ll continue doing what they’ve always done, earning it one customer at a time.
By Cari Lawson
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