Geneva BID names Super Casuals business of the month

The Geneva Business Improvement District is pleased to announce that Super Casuals has been awarded and named October’s Business of the Month.The business was founded in 1950 by Vito Fragnoli, father of current owners Joe and Steve Fragnoli. What originally started out as the Geneva Super Army and Navy Store was renamed in 1982 to better reflect the growing trend of casual and outdoor wear that the store sells today. Super Casuals has a long history that brings it to its present-day success as one of the largest independent Carhartt dealers regionally. Joe and Steve’s father saw a post-World War II Geneva as a smart business opportunity and was correct in many ways. The Army/Navy clothing and footwear store thrived and an additional two stores were opened by Vito’s brother in Skaneateles and Homer, New York. After Vito unexpectedly passed away in 1970, Joe and Steve’s mother Josephine found herself taking over the Geneva store, while buy/sell agreements dictated the sale of the other two stores to Vito’s brother. “This is where the ability to change, the need to change, really started to take hold and grow into the culture of our business,” said Steve. “We believe the only constant in business is change. If you are not willing or able to change, adapt and pivot when circumstances demand, then any business is doomed,” he continued. Change has given the Fragnoli family their longevity and success in the business.In 1978 the store expanded from a 3,000 square foot building to its current location on Seneca Street, where the building doubled in size. That was also the year Joe came back to the business. In 1992 Steve returned to the family business after realizing that the corporate life was not where his heart was. Joe and Steve’s brother Mark also joined the business as the main IT programmer and designer for the website and constructed a proprietary order fulfillment geared specifically for the business. The year 2000 brought on more change for the business with significant advances in technology. The desire to expand the market along with the growth of the internet led the business to create a retail website. This allowed Super Casuals to move to higher ground and expand even further. “The website has made us a national player with our brands. We have become one of the largest independent Carhartt dealers in the country,” noted Steve. The business has grown from a local reach to a national and international retailer and multi-million dollar operation, the growth primarily due to the stores internet presence. Online sales now account for roughly 75% of the business. Joe and Steve recognize the changes that are necessary to adapt to an always fluctuating market and strive towards maintaining their core values as they pursue new opportunitiesSuper Casuals has been an anchor in downtown Geneva for over sixty years providing personal customer service, quality merchandise and a comfortable shopping experience, both in store and online. “Super Casuals is a model of not only how to survive, but how to grow. Timely adjustments to today’s shopping online allows for a broader, expanding customer base,” commented B.I.D. Director, John Hicks. “Super Casuals offers quality inventory and quality service.”Super Casuals opens at 9:30 Monday through Saturday, and Noon on Sundays. It is located at 52 Seneca Street and can also be found online at www.supercasuals.com. Congratulations to Super Casuals, and owners Joe and Steve Fragnoli for being named the Geneva B.I.D. October Business of the Month.