Milestone: Rush Wilson Limited turns 75

Rush Wilson Limited has been part of the fabric of downtown Greenville for decades.

Generations have been dressed by the men’s clothing store, purchasing finely tailored suits, sportswear, dress shirts, ties and more. Quality has remained a fundamental principle since Rush Wilson Jr. started the business in 1950.

Wilson’s son and grandson continue to uphold his legacy 75 years later by offering high-end clothing and personalized services to customers shopping at the family business.

The store’s unfolding

Rush Wilson Jr. and Homer Wright opened a men’s clothing store in Davidson, North Carolina, in August 1950. The store was originally named Wilson and Wright.

Wilson was only 23 years old when he approached Homer Wright, an experienced entrepreneur, about opening a men’s clothing store. Rush Wilson III said his father always loved fashion and worked at department stores as a teenager.

“He had a good sense of color and style, even back in high school,” Rush Wilson III said.

Wilson and Wright opened on Main Street in Davidson, North Carolina, in August 1950. Rush Wilson Jr.’s first sale was a tie, which cost approximately $2 at the time. The store’s customers included students and professors from Davidson College purchasing Harris Tweed sports coats for class, football games and social clubs.

Rush Wilson III said his father developed a taste for very traditional clothing known as the New England or Ivy League look. This style consisted of natural-shoulder suits and sports coats, an alternative to the higher fashion square-shoulder suit.

In 1951, Wright wanted to cash out of the business, transferring full ownership to Rush Wilson Jr., who renamed the store Rush Wilson Limited. Rush Wilson Jr. officially bought the store three years later for $4,000.

Tailoring Rush Wilson Limited

Rush Wilson Jr. opened the second location of Rush Wilson Limited in downtown Greenville in 1959. The store was originally located at 224 N. Main St.

After having children, Rush Wilson Jr. decided to open a second store to earn more income. He chose to establish the new location in Greenville, leasing the last vacant storefront on Main Street. Rush Wilson Limited’s Greenville store opened at 224 N. Main St. in 1959.

“He selected Greenville because it was the fastest-growing community in the Southeast,” Rush Wilson III said. “It was also the ‘Textile Capital of the World,’ so there were a lot of families in the textile business.”

Rush Wilson Jr. moved his family to Greenville in 1965. The Greenville store quickly took off, while the original business in North Carolina started to decline. The Davidson store was sold in 1969.

In the 1960s, Rush Wilson Limited operated a women’s clothing boutique next to the men’s store on Greenville’s Main Street. Rush Wilson Jr.’s wife, Ruth, ran the ladies’ shop and was the company’s bookkeeper.

In 1978, Rush Wilson Limited relocated to its current location at 23 W. North St. to allow for the construction of the Hyatt Regency Greenville. The men’s clothing store was on the ground floor of the two-story building, with the ladies’ shop on the second floor.

Creating a legacy

Rush Wilson III started helping out at Rush Wilson Limited when he was 12 years old, vacuuming the floors, cleaning the bathrooms and sweeping the sidewalk. He inherited his father’s sense of style and sold his first suit at 15 years old.

After graduating from Greenville High School, Rush Wilson III attended Wake Forest University before serving four years in the Army. He started working full-time at his father’s store in 1985.

The father-and-son duo worked together for more than 10 years, building Rush Wilson Limited’s customer base and reputation. In 1998, Rush Wilson Jr. retired, leaving his son to take over the family business. Rush Wilson Jr. passed away in 2009.

Rush Wilson Limited became a third-generation business when Rush Wilson III’s son, Jay, started helping out at the store as a young teenager. He joined the family business full time in 2014 after working in banking for seven and a half years.

“I’ve enjoy working with my father. We have a great relationship together,” Jay Wilson said.

Styling the community

Rush Wilson Limited prides itself on being the “purveyors of the American Classic style.” The store’s merchandise features brands like Peter Millar, Samuelsohn, David Donahue, Gitman Bros., Duck Head, Barbour and Alan Paine.

The men’s clothing boutique also offers custom tailoring, wardrobe consultation, in-home fittings and other specialized services for customers. Rush Wilson III explained that the store’s customer base extends nationwide.

“This whole business is built around relationships,” Rush Wilson III said. “We’re serving the fourth generation in about five or six families here in Greenville. There’s a lot of trust.”

Looking toward the future, Jay Wilson will take over operations at Rush Wilson Limited once his father retires. He hopes to be able to continue growing his family’s business with the city of Greenville, serving its customers and the local community.

“Part of my life is the store, and I want it to thrive,” Jay Wilson said.

Did you know?

Rush Wilson Limited has been in downtown Greenville for 66 of the 75 years it has been in business.