Outsider upsets St. Louis Catholic schools' tartan traditions
A new school uniform retailer has opened its doors here, aiming to grab a piece of the tight St. Louis private school market.
But the company, Head of the Class, has run into a wall of old-school tradition.
...the school uniform market is dominated by long-standing relationships, where discreet contracts and agreements often bind a school to the shops that carry its specific plaid. Parents, by and large, shop where their schools tell them.
The owners of Head of the Class, however, are not from St. Louis. They didn't go to Catholic schools here.
They have bypassed agreements and gone around principals. They've sent direct mailers, built a slick website, even advertised in church bulletins. They aimed to attract parents with lower prices, online convenience and a 5 percent kickback to their schools.
But they had no idea what they were in for.
Interesting article...it seems some prefer to stifle competition.
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